Learning to Love Storms

Learning to Love Storms

Read: Leviticus 13-14 & Acts 28

“After we were brought safely through, we learned that the island was called Malta.” Acts 28:1

Examine:

In Acts 27 Luke documents the fact that they were way off course. The winds had been working against them and forced them well off the normal route for Rome. They were then caught up in a storm. Luke says that during the storm they saw not the sun, stars or moon for many days. Sailors did not yet have compasses; they relied on heavenly bodies for navigation. By the time they made it to the beach on Malta their ship had been destroyed, their provision jettisoned, and they were completely lost. Once they met the natives, they discovered the name and location of their island was Malta. Malta was on the normal route to Rome. The storm had actually blown them back on course.

Apply:

There is nothing about following God that is easy. The journey of Paul to Rome is so reflective of my own pursuit of God. I, like Paul, clearly know where God is taking me, but so far nothing has gone as I thought. Contrary winds have carried me off course and storms have blinded me from even understanding the direction my life is headed. In the end, the choice I have to make is do I trust in my circumstance or do I trust God?

Pray:

Storms hurt. I have had more sleepless nights in the past 3 months than I have had in all the other days of my life combined. I have never been more pressed, more shaken, and more confused. Isolation has seemed to be my constant companion. Circumstances have responded to my prayers for help by growing more dark, more confusing, and more painful. As the storm has raged I have found weak spots in my faith, dark places in my heart, and deep wounds in my soul. I hate the storms. In fact, I loathe them. They make me miserable. They do not fit my plans, they frustrate my time frames, and they delay objectives. As much as I hate the storms, I have learned to love their result.

It is in the storm that I get to experience You the deepest and the clearest. You turn weak spots in my faith into strong towers of strength. Dark places in my heart become humble beacons of light. Deep wounds in my soul are replaced with deep wells from which to draw life. In the midst of the storm my plans are replaced with Your plans, my timeframes with Your timeframes, and my objectives with Your objectives. In short, storms cause me to lose my life and gain Yours. Thank You for being active in my life, for laughing at me as I learn to trust, and for the meticulous job You do in shaping my heart, mind, and soul. My life, my trust and my love all belong to You and You alone.