What do you do in a Storm?!
“The next day we landed at Sidon; and Julius, in kindness to Paul, allowed him to go to his friends so they might provide for his needs. But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it drift away.”
Acts 27:3, 22-24, 32 NIV
REPUTATION + PRESENCE
These two words stood out to me while reading this chapter. Paul seemed to have a reputation with the centurion (a Roman leader in charge of 80–100 soldiers; they also participated in war councils), so much so that the centurion allowed Paul to do what no prisoner could do: visit with friends.
Paul's reputation preceded him on the ship as he guided and saved the entire crew. During a storm, Paul remained in the presence of God, receiving a message from an angel that they would be saved so he could carry out the mission God had called him to do. Side note: As a Christian, I might be tempted to accept my demise in the storm, given the daunting nature of the mission—to appear before the most powerful king in the world to present the gospel, potentially facing death or, at minimum, torture. Paul, however, followed Jesus' example during a storm: he remained in God's presence and, as a result, possessed an unshakable foundation of confidence and trust.
Proverbs 22:1 states, "A good name is more desirable than great riches, and to be esteemed is better than silver and gold." This verse challenges me in several ways:
To avoid falling into the trap of bitterness, especially when transitioning out of a job.
To resist burning bridges during career changes.
To steer clear of gossip, which can damage relationships and reputation.
To never take shortcuts to success at the expense of my character.
I am reminded that while I can influence my reputation through my actions and choices, ultimately, my story is being written by the Author. This perspective encourages me to maintain my faith and focus rather than pursue material wealth or popularity.
Presence… What more needs to be said? What do you do in the storm? Do you run to social media, porn, alcohol, your spouse, friends, your kids…? Instead, run to God, stay in His presence, and your actions in the storm will reflect the eternal Kingdom, transforming you and others around you.
Never Finished Challenge:
Spiritual IQ is seen here. Paul has been walking with Jesus for quite some time now. Just like athletes are told they have a high IQ in their sport after being in the game for a while, Paul is a veteran in faith. I am challenged to be patient in the journey. I want to challenge you to be patient as well. But being patient does not mean sitting back passively waiting. This means we patiently await a Paul-and-Jesus-like-reaction to the storm. To get there, spend every day with Jesus in devotion to Him: reading His word, praying, worshiping, and getting around fellow believers who are encouraging your journey.
What does this say about God?
God is so gracious in giving Paul strength on His journey by speaking so vehemently to Him. He has what we need! I take great comfort in knowing that no matter the mission, God will equip me.
