The Storm

I am on a journey and coming out of a storm.  During the storm, I began to question whether or not God was real or, at the very least, whether or not God was with me.  I tried many things to come out of the storm and unfortunately focused more on the storm than what was happening to me while in the storm. I am reminded of Paul’s experience as a prisoner being transported to Rome in Acts 27.

13 And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.

14 But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.

15 And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.

16 And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat:

17 Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven.

18 And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;

19 And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.

20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.

21 But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.

22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship.

23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,

24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.

31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.

The old preachers used to say “you’re either in a storm, coming out of storm, or going into a storm.”  Well, the old preachers, at least in this case, were right!  I do not know which of these three applies to you but, storms are real and much like the individuals traveling with Paul, storms make us feel tossed and turned even hopeless.  If you look at the passage, the travelers were so taken by the storm, that they conceded victory to it and let it dictate everything they did even to the point of dictating to them what was important. In verse 20, it said they just gave up.  But Paul reassured them that God was stronger than the storm and as long as they remained in the ship, the ship might be a little banged up but their lives would be spared.  Our storms are gonna be rough and seem hopeless but as long as we stay within God’s covering we are going to come out of storm in one piece.

This website will be about our journey which takes us on some amazing prosperous adventures but, also through some tempestuous storms.  Bishop T.D. Jakes, in his sermon on December 3, 2017, shared that God is not just the God of the morning but the God of the long painful night before, He is not just the God of the victory but, of the battle that preceded it.  Thank you for joining me in this journey.  We will learn and grow together!