This Is the Way: A 30-Day Journey Through the Book of ActsSample

The Way of the Storm

By Tracey Gernandt

“Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that it will turn out exactly as I have been told.” —Acts 27:25 (NASB)

I perked up when I began reading Acts 27: “Now when it was decided that we would sail for Italy . . .” (v. 1 NASB). Some years ago on my thirty-fifth birthday, I decided I would go to Italy for my fortieth birthday! Being a single mom and, at the time, working a demanding corporate human resources job, I had no idea how this seemingly impossible dream would come together. But I knew I had enough time to plan and save for this extravagant trip, so I went for it. I invited my mom to go with me, and we spent the next five years reading about Italy, watching movies set in Italy, studying Italian maps, and strategically planning the places we would visit during our two-week trip.

At last, my fortieth birthday arrived. It was the end of our extensive planning. Our flights were booked, and our rental car and hotel stays were confirmed. Our adventurous path would begin in Venice and end in the Chianti region of Tuscany. We were ready!

On departure day, we loaded our luggage, passports, and happy hearts into the car. As we backed out of the driveway to head to the airport, we received disheartening news. Our much-anticipated flight had been canceled! What?! We were completely prepared for our trip, but now through no fault of our own, we were suddenly stopped in our tracks. This wasn’t what we’d planned! We found ourselves and our meticulously organized schedule swirling a mini storm of postponement and rearrangement.

In Acts 27, Paul is leaving Caesarea and setting sail for Rome—a journey of approximately 2,000 miles. He had been longing to go to Rome for several years so he could help strengthen the church and teach the Christians living there. Paul, however, wasn’t just any passenger. He was a prisoner heading to Rome to await his trial. He was one of 276 passengers, most of whom were also prisoners.

During his journey to Rome, he and his shipmates encountered a fierce tempest in which they “took such a violent battering” (Acts 27:18 NIV).The lives of all on board were threatened. The crew and other prisoners were paralyzed with fear and began to give up hope; but Paul shared a word from the Lord with his fellow shipmates:

“But take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down. For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me, and he said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.’ So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said.”(Acts 27:22–25 NASB)

As the Lord warned Paul, the storm ultimately destroyed their ship, but every life on board was spared.

We too have a promising, everlasting word from the Lord! Jesus tells us in John 16:33, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (NIV). He tells us this so in Him we can have peace, even in the troubling storms of life!

Sometimes, we find ourselves in a storm because we are outside the will of God. Sin can lead to years of stormy seasons. Sometimes our disobedience leads us into a tempest. For instance, Jonah disobeyed God by not going to Ninevah as commanded, and his storm landed him in the belly of a great fish for three days. Even being self-sufficient rather than relying on God leads to turbulent times. Living outside of God’s will is confusing, lonely, and painful but it can lead to humility.

There are other times when troubles may overtake us even when we’re operating within God’s will! For example, God used a storm over the Sea of Galilee to show the disciples His great power when Jesus walked on the water and invited Peter to join Him. The disciples on the boat were frightened, but once they focused on Jesus, they witnessed miracles, and God filled them with the peace only He can bring in life’s storms (see Matthew 14:22–33).

Paul’s perilous journey to Rome in Acts 27 reminds us we can plan our destination, then on the way encounter an unexpected monsoon but still end up exactly where God wants us. In suffering, we can receive a word from God or a fellow believer to remind us of God’s sovereign plan and great strength so we can persevere. Regardless of how long a storm lasts, we can confidently focus on Christ who provides us with His peace.

Do you have a much longed-for desire that unexpectedly hit a ditch, a detour, or even a dead end? Mine was a mini storm of inconvenience on the way Italy. Paul’s was a life-threatening storm on the way to Rome. And like Paul who finally made it to Rome, my mom and I finally made it to Italy.

Prayer

Lord, You know every storm I will ever face. Help me to lift my eyes from my circumstances to see only You. You are my shelter, my comfort, and my path forward. Jesus, You are my peace in every storm I encounter. Help me to remember Your faithfulness and to trust You. With You, I will endure. Thank You for loving me so much. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Activation

• What areas of your life are currently lacking peace? Write them down and invite God into those places. Lift your eyes up to Him instead of focusing on the storm (see Psalm 121).
• Think about the times your life has felt stormy. Thank God for seeing you through those difficult times. Then reflect on what it says in Romans 5:3–4. How has your suffering led to endurance, and how has your endurance contributed to building your character?
• How has your growth in character led to new hope, especially for future storms? Ask God for an opportunity to share that hope with someone else in a similar storm.

For Further Study

Acts 27; Philippians 4:5–7; John 14:27; Isaiah 26:3

Holy Spirit, what are you saying to me?