Frantic shouts could barely be heard above the raging wind. rattling rigging and snapping of sails in the wind. Ferocious wind. Violent wind. Threatening wind. Vigorous wind that rattled the rigging. Vicious wind that whipped the sails. In untamed wildness it tossed the waters, bobbing their ship around like a toy, eliciting creaks and groans from its hull. It had been wreaking havoc for days. Several days. Not that they had seen the sun recently. They hadn’t. Nor had they seen the stars. It was almost as if the natural skylights were hiding, riding out the storm in the great safety of the heavens. The men aboard the Alexandrian ship envied them that ability. If only they had somewhere safe to weather the apparently endless storm! They didn’t. They were completely at the mercy of the elements. Unwisely alone on the sea, they tried everything in their power to stay alive.
They were going to die. All of them. There was no chance of survival. The gentle wind of which they had taken advantage to drift out to sea had been a deceiver. Lulled them into a sense of safety and success. Rocked them into complacency. It hadn’t stayed gentle. With amazing speed the winds intensified to hurricane strength, forcing them to lighten the load. Willingly, they hefted cargo overboard. Frantically, they shifted the ship’s tackle into the water. Urgently they discussed the options, searched for a plausible answer. There wasn’t one. Not a viable one, anyway. They had done everything they could do. Everything expendable had been abandoned. With the weight of their own helplessness resting heavily on their shoulders, the men felt their meager hope sink to rest on the sandy floor of the sea. No one was eating. No one was talking. No one was planning to live beyond this event.
Except for Paul. Paul wasn’t extremely worried. Not anymore. He had been at first. He hadn’t been through anything like this before. The storm’s intensity was unreal. It would not be trifled with. He knew it instinctively. He realized he could die there in those crashing waves before ever realizing the rest of his missionary goals. The fact he was even in this current situation frustrated him. He had warned them about this very scenario. Traveling this route at this particular season was dicey. Everyone knew it. Paul knew it. He’d told them not to go. Advised them to stay put for the winter. Sailing would be a poor choice. A costly one. Things would go badly. Disaster would happen. Gear would be lost. People could die. But that breeze. Gentle. Alluring. Peaceful. The calm waters called to them in that breeze. Sang a siren’s song of safety. They should have ignored it. They didn’t. Couldn’t. Wouldn’t. Instead they ignored Paul’s advice. He’d been right. They should have stayed. But all they could do now was hunker down and weather the worst storm of their lives.
The Acts 27 account doesn’t tell us the thoughts and emotions in Paul’s heart and mind as he sat there bracing himself against the roll, pitch, and yaw of the boat, listening to the howling winds, and watching his shipmates silently surrender their hope. Admittedly, I wish it did. Somehow, every time I read the account, I imagine his placid countenance registering not one iota of fear or frustration. Ever. Not one fear or doubt crosses his mind. No temptation to abandon hope assails him. No effort is made by the evil to fill his mind with racing thoughts of death, complaints about God’s lack of care, or question marks about Paul’s own worth to the Kingdom. There’s absolutely no spiritual warfare in this at all. Not to me. In my mind, Paul is perfect. Walking unhindered around the ship ministering and praying and believing. He’s full of faith and faithful to His God. He doesn’t waver when the boat dips. He doesn’t falter when the wind howls. Not when I read the story. When I read it, Paul is unruffled by the goings on around him, calmly keeping up his courage and gently asking others to do the same. Until a week ago.
About a week ago, as I read this narrative, I noticed things I hadn’t seen before. Things about Paul. Human things. Things that made me think he had fears and concerns just like you and me. Like why did it take days of angst before Paul stood up and spoke courage to the men on board? That’s not really the Paul we’ve seen throughout the book of Acts. Bravely he spoke out the way of salvation in towns where it wasn’t welcomed by the leaders of his day. Knowing beatings and prison and possible death could ensue, Paul boldly pressed forward. Before kings and rulers who could instantly end his life, Paul preached the same message of forgiveness of sins by faith in Jesus Christ alone. When people listened. When they didn’t. When they loved him. When they hated him. Paul preached no matter what. Except on that rocking boat stuck in the storm. There, he spent several days in silence. No preaching. No teaching. No encouragement. Paul simply sat in his feelings until God spoke. (Acts 13-26)
Appearing beside him in the inky blackness of night, the angel of God came with a message for Paul. A message from the heart of God bringing hope and the assurance of help. Words to help Paul continue ministering when the strength to do so was depleted, when the urge to give in to despair was strong. Encouraging words that spoke to the exact space Paul inhabited. “Don’t be afraid.” Not of the storm. Not of the oncoming shipwreck. Not of the soldiers on the boat who would actively consider the idea of killing all the prisoners. As awful as the outlook seemed, it would get better. He’d get through this. They all would. Even though it didn’t look like it from where they were sitting. Even when the sky refused to lighten and the winds refused to quit. Even when the bad news kept on coming. Everything would turn out fine. Better than fine, actually. They simply needed to keep up their courage and stay the course.
Straightening his shoulders and shoring up his own faith, Paul finally stood and shared the words with his shipmates. Don’t let the fear overwhelm you. Hang on to your courage. Hold on to your faith. Stay the course. Ride out the storm. God would see them through. He would protect them. He would preserve them. The ship and all its cargo might be lost. Their personal belongings were currently floating out to sea. There would be no souvenirs left from this adventure. But. They would all walk unscathed from the experience with an amazing story to tell. Everything would be fine. Eventually. Just keep up your courage.
It didn’t really change anything on board. Not the assurances or the call to courage. The men were still anxious and filled with worry. For 14 days fear kept them from eating. They were tired and weakening by now. Even if an escape route became available, one wonders if they would have had the strength to take it. Paul must have wondered that too. Scavenging the galley, he managed to find enough bread to feed the lot of them. All 276. Taking it to the men, he reiterated his previous words. They were going to be fine. All of them. They were going to survive. They needed strength to do so. Everyone needed to eat. Refusing to accept “no” for an answer, he blessed the bread and handed it out among them.
Through the finally lightening sky, the men saw land and decided to make a break for it. Cut the anchors. Try to gently run aground. It worked. Except for the “gently” part. It was more of a wreck than a docking. The bow stuck fast in the sand. The stern was shattered by the raging surf. The men were left with few options. Die with the ship. Swim to shore. Grab a piece of broken boat and hold on for dear life in hopes it would carry them safely to the island. It did. They all made it to shore. A safe shore. An inhabited place where the islanders were hospitable. They were cared for. Fed. Allowed to stay for the rest of the winter. Provided with a ship to continue their journey when the weather cleared. Nothing about that voyage had gone according to plan. At least not man’s plan. Yet nothing had ever been outside the grand plan of God. When it seemed everything was crashing down around him and things couldn’t possibly get worse, God was simply setting the stage for more good things to happen. When Paul couldn’t see the next step ahead, God said, “Take courage.” And Paul did. (Acts 27:1-28:16)
I’ve never known anyone who endured a chaotic voyage ending in shipwreck and marooning on an island. I do, however, know how it feels to have those words accurately describe the feeling of your current season. You probably do, too. Perhaps you identify with them right now. Maybe, one on the heels of another, discouraging news, horrific events, impossible circumstances have flooded into your life. Staring at the irreparable damage to your well-laid plans, you are overcome with despair and discouragement. You feel helpless. Hopeless. In your weakest moments, when you are grasping at straws for a viable solution, the evil one enacts his plan to take over your soul. Into your ear he whispers that God doesn’t love you, doesn’t care about you, has left you alone to struggle and suffer. He might even say God enjoys watching you do so. He suggests you quit, give up, walk away. From life. From God. And you are tempted to do it. Very tempted. I hope you don’t.
If, in those hours of predawn darkness when panic and fear have a stranglehold on your mind, you manage to calm your soul, quiet your heart, and listen, you will hear the voice of God. He’s going to change the narrative. He’s going to rewrite your story. He’s going to veer off your plan and implement His own. He’s going to give you peace. Why? Because He loves you. He cares about you. He’s got your back. And He knows that, as good as your plan may seem, His plan is better. It was made with your entire life’s picture in mind. Beginning. Middle. End. God knows your life in its entirety and He knows what events will place you in the perfect space to experience His blessings and be a blessing to others. So don’t be afraid. Follow His plan even when you can’t see the path ahead. Trust Him even when it’s hard. Believe in the goodness of God. Know that you are going to get through this storm. Things are going to be fine. You will be okay. God’s got this. He’s got you. You can trust Him. Take heart. Be faithful. And keep up your courage. (John 14:27; Psalm 118:6; Deuteronomy 31:6; Isaiah 41:13; Matthew 10:29-31; Jeremiah 31:2-3; Psalm 139:1-6; Jeremiah 29:11; Proverbs 3:5; Psalm 100:5; Isaiah 43:2-3)