Storms Ahead

Introduction:

I want to welcome you again this morning.

First, to those joining us online, we are so thankful for our online technology that allows you to be a part of our church family today.

I also want to welcome those who may be joining us for the first time today. I hope your time with us today is encouraging and helpful, and I look forward to meeting you.

I would also say if you are new to our church today, it would be helpful for you to know that we practice a form of preaching called “Expository Preaching”.

What that means, is we believe the Bible is best taught by taking books of the Bible and then breaking them down from beginning to end, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. Our goal, to better understand not only what God’s Word says, but what it means in our lives today.

Over the past couple of years we’ve been doing that through the NT book of Acts.

With that said, if you haven’t been with us I would encourage you to go online to http://www.mcf.life or to our Facebook page where you can watch previous messages leading up to today.

Today however we are picking up in Acts 27 as we join the Apostle once again on his Spirit led journey towards the capital city of Rome.

And as we’ve learned over the several weeks of our study, this has not been an easy journey for Paul.

We saw this as Paul first arrived in Jerusalem, where his presence created a city wide riot, which quickly led to his arrest, an assassination attempt on his life, 2 years in a Roman jail cell, and eventually two trials before two different Roman governors. Trials that left Paul with no choice but to appeal to Caesar in order to avoid certain death.

But as we learned last week, while Paul has appealed to Caesar, that doesn’t mean his challenges are over as he now boards a prison boat for Rome where he will more than likely face continued imprisonment and possibly even death.

Which is why what we discussed last week was so important. Because with more challenges ahead, Paul needed some spiritual and emotional support, a spiritual shot in the arm so to speak, which was provided to him through a unique opportunity. Luke explained it like this:

Acts 27:1–3 ESV

1 And when it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan Cohort named Julius. 2 And embarking in a ship of Adramyttium, which was about to sail to the ports along the coast of Asia, we put to sea, accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica. 3 The next day we put in at Sidon. And Julius treated Paul kindly and gave him leave to go to his friends and be cared for.

Luke says that Julius, the Roman centurion in charge of the prisoners on the boat, extended unusual kindness to Paul by allowing him to go see his friends and then return to the boat before it left. A kindness that gave Paul an opportunity to receive much needed emotional and spiritual support from a group of people who deeply cared for him.

And what was true fro Paul is true for all of us. The fact is, as we journey through life, we wall need the spiritual and emotional support of Christian friendships.

Friendships that are designed to strengthen, encourage, and help us accomplish the mission of taking the gospel to the entire world.

And as we discussed last week, here at MCF that is largely found on Sunday mornings and through our Connect Group ministry.

So, if you missed the message last week, I would encourage you to check it out, because the fact is, we all need the care and support that Christian fellowship provides.

Which brings us to our passage today as Paul once again boards the prison boat and continues his journey towards Rome.

And so, in order to set up our topic today, I want to begin by asking you to consider a few questions that will help us build some framework for the next couple of weeks. Questions that revolve around the subject matter of storms. And when I say storms, I’m talking about physical storms. You know like the kind of storms the weather channel covers.

So, with storms as our basis, here are my questions:

Question #1 - Isn’t it true that when it comes to storms, storms are going to happen whether we like it or not?

In other words, they’re inevitable. They’re just a part of life.

That’s true, right?

And isn’t it true, that when it comes to the weather, there is nothing we can do to prevent a storm from taking place.

For example, when a hurricane starts developing out at sea, there is nothing we can do to prevent that storm from forming. It’s going to form whether we like it or not. Best we can do is be aware of it and be prepared for it just in case.

Question #2 - Isn’t it also true that not only are storms inevitable, but storms come in varying degrees of severity?

In other words, some storms are worse than others.

For example, some storms produce gentle rain showers while some produce flooding rain and damaging hail.

Other storms produce light wind while some produce hurricane gusts.

And some storms are quiet and peaceful while some rumble, light up the sky, and produce dangerous lighting.

Storms vary in severity.

Question #3 - Isn’t it true that the severity of a storm is often predicted by the signs that precede it?

In other words, if we want to know how severe the storm might be, all we have to do is look at the signs.

For example, if the clouds are dark and swirling, that’s a good sign that it could be a bad storm. In fact, that’s a good indicator that the storm could produce a Tornado.

Or if all of a sudden the wind picks up and the sky turns dark, that’s a good indicator that a thunderstorm may be on its way.

Storms have signs of their severity.

Final Question- Isn’t it true, that along with signs of severity, those signs often determine our response to the storm?

For example, if it’s gentle rain storm, we know we have nothing to fear. So instead of taking shelter we walk out into it or drive into it with little or no fear. It’s just a little rain storm.

However, if it’s a thunderstorm we’re more cautious. Cautious because it’s a storm that could produce heavy rain. A storm that could produce damaging winds, hail, lightning, or even a tornado. At that point, might be best to stay inside. Probably not a good idea to go out on the road. Probably should even find cover if the Thunderstorm turns into a warning.

That’s why a lot of people who live in Kansas want a home with a basement, right? So that in the event of a bad storm, they have a place to take cover until the storm passes. A place to keep them safe just in case the storm becomes dangerous.

I ask you these questions about storms because as we pick back up with the Apostle Paul, Paul is getting ready to head into some storms. Storms that he can’t control. Storms that will vary in severity. Storms that will determine certain responses from Paul and his companions.

Now, you might be thinking, “Ok, that’s interesting pastor. But what does that have to do with my spiritual walk today. I mean if I want to learn about storms I’ll turn on the weather channel.”

It applies to you today because in this passage the storms aren’t just physical storms, but in many symbolically represent the storms of life that believers often face as they journey towards God’s plan and purpose. Storms that we’ve all faced, are facing, and will face.

That being the case, as we pick back up with the Apostle Paul this morning I have three goals:

Goal #1 - As we journey with Paul over the next couple of weeks, we’re going to identify three different types of storms Paul faces and what they represent.

Goal #2 - As we identify the different storms and what they represent, we’re going to look at how those differing storms apply to our lives and our circumstances.

Goal #3 - Based on Paul’s response to his storms, we’re going to discover how we should respond when we face our storms.

So, with that as our basis, lets jump back into Acts 27 as Paul returns to the boat and faces the first of three storms. Picking up in verse 4 we read today’s passage:

Acts 27:4–5 ESV

4 And putting out to sea from there we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were against us. 5 And when we had sailed across the open sea along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra in Lycia.

Luke begins by giving us the details of what would be the beginning of the second stage of this sea voyage towards Rome as the boat departs from Sidon.

And it’s at this point that Paul is going to face the first of three storms to come. A storm we are going to entitle today:

Storm #1 - The storm to be expected. (2x)

And so in order to help us understand what this storm is all about and why it was to be expected, I’m going to bring up a map of Paul’s journey. A map we are going to use over the next couple of weeks to visually track Paul’s sea journey to Rome which is represented by the green route on the map.

So, with our map, and our passage, let’s look again at what Luke says:

Acts 27:4 ESV

4 And putting out to sea from there we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were against us.

Going back to the map, Luke says after leaving Sidon the ship headed out, and while he doesn’t detail it here, the ship is headed to the port city of Myra.

But what I want you to notice of is the route they took to get there. Because instead of taking a straight shot for Myra, which would have been south of Cyprus, and the quickest route, Luke says they end up sailing north around Cyprus and then back West along the coast until they reach Myra.

The question then is, “Why not take the most direct route?” Good question. And Luke tells us. Because look again at how he explains it:

Acts 27:4 ESV

4 And putting out to sea from there we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were against us.

Look at what Luke says. He says they sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were against us.

So, what does that all mean?

Well, in nautical terms it means they sailed on the leeward side of Cyprus. Which means they sailed in line with the currents that would have led them towards the northern coast.

We see this on the map.

The question then is, “Why would they do that? Why not the direct route across the open sea?”

Because Luke says “… the winds were against us.”

In other words, while they wanted to take the most direct route, the winds prevented them from taking that route.

Which leads to a quesiton we wouldn’t typically ask, which is, “Why were the winds against them?”

I know this might surprise you, but the wind was against them because that’s what sea wind does when it blows towards you. It blows against you. I know, crazy right?

It’s like when people say, “I wish it wasn’t so hot out!” Well, it’s August. That’s what’s to be expected in August.

And what most boat captains of that day expected, is that about half the time the winds would be for them and about half the time they would be against them. So it was kind of a 50/50 shot. It’s just the way the sea works. It was expected.

And as a result, since the boats of that day were largely dependent on wind power, the direction of the wind determined the route they would take. And in this case it worked against Paul’s boat resulting in a less favorable, longer, and more difficult route.

Which is why they sailed under the lee of Cyprus, which then eventually led them to their desired destination point of Myra.

Everybody with me?

So, that’s the storm to be expected. Not so bad, right?

Well, it’s not over yet. Because Luke goes on to write:

Acts 27:5–8 ESV

5 And when we had sailed across the open sea along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra in Lycia. 6 There the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy and put us on board. 7 We sailed slowly for a number of days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, and as the wind did not allow us to go farther, we sailed under the lee of Crete off Salmone. 8 Coasting along it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea.

So Luke says, after battling the winds and being forced on an alternate route, they arrive in Myra where Julius, the Roman centurion in charge of the prisoners finds a different boat for them to board before they set sail again.

The question then is, “Why does he do that? Why a different boat?”

Well, we don’t really know. It could be the boat they were on was only meant to take them as far as Myra. Kind of like when you book a flight that has a layover and then you end up boarding a second plane that eventually gets you to your destination point.

Or it could be that Julius felt like the boat they were on wasn’t adequate for the rest of the journey, so he sought out one that was.

Which in my opinion is probably the case, because the ship that Julius finds is a boat called the Alexandrian, and based on what we’re going to learn later on in the passage, it was a large grain boat.

In fact, it was a large cargo ship. How large? Well we know this particular ship was rather large because later on in the passage we are told there were 276 people on this boat.

And so it would make sense that Julius would try and find a sizeable boat that would provide them with what they needed for such a long journey. And there would be no better boat than a large grain boat full of grain that could be used for food if necessary.

But unfortunately, even though it’s a larger boat full of grain, it doesn’t take care of the “storm to be expected”, because going back to our passage Luke says after boarding the new boat, the winds continue. He writes:

Acts 27:7–8 ESV

7 We sailed slowly for a number of days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, and as the wind did not allow us to go farther, we sailed under the lee of Crete off Salmone. 8 Coasting along it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea.

Luke says as the boat sets out for Rome, once again they face the difficulty of opposing winds. Winds that force them to adjust their route and fight oncoming head winds over a number of days. And we know it was a fight because Luke says that they, “…coasted along with difficulty.”

But again, what we need to remember is that these were expected winds. Winds that come with open sea sailing. Winds to be expected.

Now, at this point you might be thinking, “Ok pastor, this is a great nautical lesson, and I feel bad for Paul, but what does this have to do with me?”

Symbolically and spiritually it has everything to do with you and e. Because just like opposing winds are expected out at sea, opposing winds are to be expected in our day to day lives as well.

And what I mean by “expected”, is that day too day there are going to be storms that come our way. Storms that are pretty much inevitable.

Storms that we know can happen, but we hope won’t.

Storms that from time to time make life difficult to navigate.

Storms that throw us off course and cause us to take longer or rougher paths.

Storms to be expected.

You might ask, “What kind of storms are you talking about Pastor?”

Well, they vary in size and number and often depend on the season, the circumstance, and sometimes the individuals involved.

For example, a storm to be expected could be your car breaking down on your way to work. Not a fun storm, right? Kind of messes up your day. Probably puts you behind schedule. More than likely makes you late for work. And in the end forces you to spend money you didn’t want to spend or don’t have.

But guess what, cars break down, it’s to be expected. You just hope today it’s not your car.

Another storm to be some kind of injury, maybe you broke your arm. Maybe you had to get stitches. Maybe you got sick at work and had to go home. Not a fun storm. Definitely messes up your day. Most certainly makes life a little more difficult.

I experienced a storm like this on October 1st, 2013. Like any other day I woke up, I went to the gym. But while I was working out my bicep tendon on my left arm ruptured, which resulted in surgery and a 12 week recovery. Kind of made life more difficult for awhile. Caused me to have to change my entire routine and focus.

But it shouldn’t have surprised me, people get injured in the gym everyday, it’s to be expected. We just hope today it’s not our day.

And then there’s the storm to be expected that nobody wants to face. It’s called the storm of death as someone we love or care about passes away. That’s a terrible storm, right? A storm that doesn’t just mess up your day, but a storm that can bring life to screeching halt and creates great difficulty in moving forward. A storm we pray never happens to anyone we care about.

But guess what, loved ones die everyday. It’s to be expected. You just hope today it’s not your loved one.

Now, at this point you might be thinking, “Wow Pastor Brad, this is discouraging. Why are you bringing this up today. I came to church to be encouraged not discouraged.”

I’m bring this up because storms like these are to be expected. They are the reality of life. The reality that when we get up everyday and head out into life there is a storm to be expected. In fact Jesus said this would be the case. He puts it like this:

John 16:33 (ESV)

33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation...

What Jesus is saying here is that there are going to be storms in your life. Storms that detour you, storms that make your day more difficult, storms that lead to loss.

Jesus says storms are coming.

And to be honest with you, I think a lot of people, both Christians and non-Christians, struggle with this reality. Why do we struggle? We struggle because when those storms it raises questions. And one question in-particular that I hear people ask all the time in the midst of their to be expected storm. And the question is this:

“Why would God allow this to happen?” (2x)

Let me ask you something, “In the midst of their “to be expected storm” have you ever heard somebody ask that question?

Something like, “Why would God allow my car to break down. Doesn’t He know I’m in a hurry and I’m strapped for cash.”

Or, “Why would God allow this injury in my life. Doesn’t He care about me? Doesn’t he know I have things to do, that I’m busy. Why would God allow this?”

Or, “Why would God allow my loved one to die? Why didn’t God prevent it? Why would God allow somebody so young, so kind, so necessary in my life, to be taken from me?”

The truth is, we’ve all made that statement or heard somebody make it.

So, what’s up with the “storms to be expected” and why would God allow them in my life?

I think that’s a great question, and the quesiton we are going to answer this morning.

And my hope is by answering this question, that you and I can walk away today with a better understanding of how to navigate the to be expected storms of life in a way that is Biblical and healthy. Because like it or not, they are coming.

Now, let me say this. In answering this this question we’re not going to be spiritual meteorologist.

In other words, today isn’t the day we explore this storm to the depth that some might want. To be honest, we don’t have enough time to do that. Our goal today is to simply gain a general understanding of what causes “The storms to be expected”.

In addition to that, we’re not going to be spiritual storm chasers. In other words, we’re not going to chase down every possible scenario and possibility as to why God would allow certain storms to take place in our life. Again, we don’t have time and our goal is to simply gain a general understanding of why God allows storms like this into our lives. An understanding that I believe will give us a solid base to begin to build on.

So, based on this passage and what the Bible teaches us, here’s the first reason God allows the “Storms to be expected”.

Reason #1 - Storms are to be expected because of sin.

In other words, the reason “bad” things happen is because we live in a world that has been infected and affected by sin.

It goes back to the first Book of the Bible. To Genesis 3, where Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, made a terrible a decision to disobey a Holy God. A decision that did two things:

First, it allowed death to enter the world.

The Apostle Paul puts it like this:

Romans 5:12 (ESV)

12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin...

Paul says when Adam disobeyed God and ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, that in that moment sin came into the world, and right behind it came death.

Which means the reason we die is because of sin. Mathematically it would look like this: sin = death

But that’s not even the worst part. The worst part is that because of Adam and Eve’s decision to bring death into the world, it brought death to everyone. Paul puts it like this:

Romans 5:12 ESV

12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—

Paul says their decision didn’t just affect them, but all of us. In other words it became a universal decision that continues to plague mankind. But it didn’t stop there. Because it didn’t just affect all of mankind, but the world we live in as well.

Because in Genesis 3 we read this:

Genesis 3:17 ESV

17 And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;

In this passage God says even the earth itself is cursed because of what Adam and Eve did. In other words, not only has sin brought death to them, but it’s brought death to the entire world and everything that exists within it.

Do you know what that means? It means our world will never get better, but only worse.

Why? Because sin is degenerative in nature. And what I mean by degenerative is that its in the process of progressively destroying everything good in this world. Everything that God made and said was good it destroys. And it started with you and me.

And this is why “The storms to be expected” take place. They take place because when it comes to your car, it’s in a state of constant deterioration. Which is why the new car smell doesn’t last forever. Which is why parts wear out. Which is why metal rusts and plastic cracks. Which is why your first car won’t be your last car.

The same is true of our bodies. Because whether you want to accept or not, you’re not getting any younger.

Which is why some of you ladies make hair color appointments. And why some of you men are balding. And why my bicep tendon snapped.

Why? Because sin has created a constant state of decay in our bodies. A decay that leads to death. God puts it like this to Adam as he spells out the consequences of his sin:

Genesis 3:19 ESV

19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

God says, “Listen Adam, because you disobeyed, because you allowed sin to come into the world, your body is going to die.”

And God wasn’t kidding. Because the moment they disobeyed God, sin entered their life and initiated the dying process, and instead of living forever as God intended, they eventually died. The same process that we continue to deal with today.

And so what we need to understand is that because we live in a fallen world, bad things are going to happen. Why? Because sin created a storm called a “storm to be expected”. Storms that are the result of sin.

Which means, when somebody dies, what ultimately killed them wasn’t the cancer, the car wreck, old age, or even Covid-19. What ultimately killed them was a spiritual virus called sin.

So, why does God allow bad things to happen?

I would put it like this. It was never God’s desire for bad things to happen. But because God gave us free will, He gave us a choice to either choose Him or not. And when you choose Him, good things happen. But when you don’t, bad things happen.

So, let me ask you something, “If that’s the case. If storms to be expected happen because of our sinful decisions, how is that God’s fault?”

It’s not. So, when people say, “How could a loving God allow bad things to happen?”, it’s very obvious they clearly don’t understand why we are in the mess we are in. Because it’s not because of something God did, but that we did.

And maybe what we need to be more aware of and focus more on, is that God actually loves us so much, that He choose to do something about our sin problem. We read about it in John 3 from Jesus Himself.

John 3:16 ESV

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Jesus says because God so loved us so much, and so hated what sin had done to us, that he sent His only son to die for us so that we could live.

Which means, if we want to escape the eternal consequences of sin, then all we have to do is put our hope and faith in Jesus. Which is awesome.

But again, this is where some struggle. Because if putting our faith in Jesus takes care of our sin problem, then why is sin and death still a problem? Why do we still have to face the “Storms to be expected?”

It’s kind of like when Julius finds a bigger and better boat for Paul and his companions. Because you would think a bigger and more supplied boat would be the answer to all of their storm problems. But it wasn’t.

Yes, it helped. Yes, it gave them more security. Yes, it wold handle the storms better. But it’s still the same sea, the same wind, and the same storm.

And it’s the same for us. Because yes faith in Jesus gives us the hope of eternal life, but we still have to get through this life. You see, on this side of heaven we still have to deal with the temporal consequences of sin. And the temporal consequences are the storms.

But here’s the good news, now that we are in Jesus’s boat, we are now with the one who controls the storms. Jesus puts it like this:

John 16:33 ESV

33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Jesus says yes, there will be storms, but take heart, I have overcome the storm. In other words, I have overcome the power of sin. Which leads us to the second reason God allows the storms. Because now that we are in His boat:

Reason #2 - God can work storms to our advantage.

I love how Paul puts it in Romans 8:28:

Romans 8:28 ESV

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

In this passage Paul reminds us that for those who have put their hope in Jesus, we can have the assurance that God works all things in or life for good.

Which means, when your car breaks down, he can work it for your good.

Or when you get injured at work, he can work it for your good.

Or when you lose a loved one, as hard as it may be to see at that time, he can work it for your good.

Now, you might ask, “Pastor, how does God work it for my good?”

Well, there are a number of ways He does it, but here are a few general principles of how He does it:

Principle #1 - The storm makes us stronger as we become more dependent on God.

It’s the old adage, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. The Apostle James puts it like this:

James 1:2–3 ESV

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

James says that trials produce growth. How so? Because in the moment of trial we learn to trust God in a way we wouldn’t have before. And in doing so we walk in a level of faith we’ve never walked in before, which then produces greater endurance.

For example, when your car breaks down, and you don’t have the money to fix it, you now have to trust God financially in a way you weren’t before. Which will lead to spiritual growth and more financial blessing in your life.

Or when that injury comes that lands you in a hospital bed, now you have to learn to trust and listen to God in a way you never have before, which leads to growth and possibly new direction as God opens new doors and a new path.

That’s what happened to me with my bicep tendon. I don’t have time to go into all of it, but because I ruptured my tendon it slowed me down allowing me to hear God’s voice in a way I hadn’t before. And it was during that time that God began to lay the groundwork for Denise and I to come to Marysville.

It’s even true when we lose a loved one. Because when we lose a loved one, it forces us to consider the eternal. To stop and evaluate our own lives and our own relationship with God. And for a lot of people it’s an opportunity to seek out spiritual questions they would have never asked before.

But not only do storms make us stronger as we become more dependent on God.

Principle #2 - Storms prepare us for the next storm.

This is the endurance that James was referring to. That as we tackle one storm and overcome, we are more prepared for the next.

And I can’t tell you now many times I’ve seen that play out in my life and the life of others. Because that’s how endurance works as what pushes against us causes us to get stronger and better prepared for the next challenge.

This would definitely be the case for Paul, because while they had faced some difficult wind, a hurricane awaited them. But by God’s grace He had been preparing them for greater storms.

This now leads us to one final reason for why God allows the storms to be expected:

Reason #3 - God can use out storms to help others overcome their storms.

Probably one of the greatest stories that illustrates this is the story of Joseph found in Genesis 37. And while we don’t have time to read the entire story, the story is about a young man named Joseph who had a dream that one day he would rule over his father and brothers. A dream that he decided to share with his brothers. And as you can imagine, they didn’t take it well. And so instead of giving him a swirly and being done with it, they decided to sell him into slavery and then tell their father a wild animal had killed him.

Which then led Joseph on a roller coaster ride as for the next several years he faced many trials and many years of imprisonment in an Egyptian cell.

But through all of his trials, God was making Joseph stronger. And with each trial, he was preparing Joseph for the trial to come. Until one day Joseph was released and through a turn of events put in charge of the entire kingdom of Egypt as second in command to Pharaoh.

And it’s at this point Joseph’s brothers come back into the picture as they make their way to Egypt in order to buy food for their family. And low and behold, while they don’t recognize him at the time, who do you think they stand before in order to ask for food? Joseph. Which then leads Joseph to eventually reveal himself to his brothers and scare the living daylights out of them.

And you would think it would be at this moment that Joseph would get even. That he would make them pay for all the suffering he had gone through. But he doesn’t. Instead he looks at his brothers, and he makes this amazing statement:

Genesis 50:20 ESV

20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

In this moment Joseph realizes that all the storms he had faced had prepared him for this moment. A moment where he would be able to help his brothers and his father survive. In this moment Joseph recognized that his storms had been for the good of others.

And what was true for Joseph is true for all of us. Because what you have to understand is that you’re storm isn’t just about you. I know we think it is. I know that’s what we tend to focus in on. But if you’re a Christian, then you’re storms aren’t meant to just grow you, but to help others.

This is what we talked a little bit about last week where Paul writes in 2 Corinthians:

2 Corinthians 1:3–5 ESV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.

Paul says our afflictions are sometimes meant for the good of others. That in some way your storm is going to bring home to someone else's storm. That in some way, your storm is going to help someone else overcome their storm.

Denise and I are currently going through foster care classes. And as we read the material last week for class, we were reading about the impact of loss on a persons life, but how we have to learn to turn that loss into a gain. And to illustrate it there was a true story about a woman named Adrienne, who miscarried her baby in her fifth month of pregnancy. Listen to what Adrienne says about her loss:

“When I look back on my miscarriage, I see it as the worst thing and yet the best thing that could have happened at that point in my life. The pain of the miscarriage sent me scrambling within for answers, some way to help myself heal. I started spending more time alone, just to think, meditate or simply be alone with my thoughts. I took a hard, painful look at my life and the choices I had made. I developed new goals for how to spend my time, energy and resources. I became more spiritual, and with this spirituality came a new compassion for and sensitivity to others. To make sure I could get pregnant again, I started eating healthier. These healthy eating habits helped me lose physical and emotional weight. So, I ended up looking and feeling better. Most importantly, I ended up liking me more. Now I’m developing a little handbook to help other parents who have to say goodbye just when most parents are saying hello. None of these gains would have happened had I not lost my own child first.”

What I love about this story is that instead of letting the storm expected to knock her down, Adrienne found her faith, grew stronger, and started allowing her storm to help others weather theirs.

The fact is, I don’t know what storm you are facing today, but I do know it’s not just about you. That as you come through your storm, God is going to use your storm to help others.

Why? Because what the enemy meant for evil, God meant for good.

The bottom line is this. Storms to be expected are going to come. But the good news is that in the midst of the storm, God is with us, He has power over the storm, and if you’ll put your faith and trust in Him, He will see you through the storm.

No, you may not get there in the time frame you hoped for. No, it may not be the path you had hoped or planned for. But you will get to your destination point. And when you arrive you’ll be stronger, more prepared, and better equipped to help others.

Let’s Pray

Acts 27:5–8 (ESV)

5 And when we had sailed across the open sea along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra in Lycia. 6 There the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy and put us on board. 7 We sailed slowly for a number of days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, and as the wind did not allow us to go farther, we sailed under the lee of Crete off Salmone. 8 Coasting along it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea.