The Storms of Life

Over the last few weeks I have been reading about two different guys who faced storms.  First, there was Paul.  In Acts chapter 27 Paul was on his way to Rome.  After more than two years of confinement he appeals to Caesar and is put on the next ship out of town.  Early on in the journey Paul perceives they are heading for trouble.  No one listens to Paul and they find themselves in the middle of a crisis.   A storm of huricane proportions is overwhelming the ship.  After a long struggle God comforts Paul with a word of deliverance.  Encouraged, Paul uses the storm as an opportunity to show his leadership skills and point people to Christ. 

Hundreds of years earlier another follower of God found himself in a storm.  His name was Jonah.  Unlike Paul, he seemed oblivious to everything around him.  While the storm was waging Jonah was asleep inside the ship.  Rather than bringing comfort Jonah was actually the cause of this crews problems. 

What should we learn from these two stories.  First, storms are a part of life.  In Jonah's life the storm was actually sent from God as a form of discipline.  In Paul's life it just happened to be storm season.  And sometimes the enemy of our soul will try and cause a storm to discourage us and get us off track.  Second, storms can wake us up.  They cause us to cry out to God and put our trust in him.  Our need for God is never more real than when we are in the middle of a crisis.  Finally, storms end.  For Jonah the key was obeying God's Word and for Paul the key was holding on to God's word.  God's word is our anchor in the storm.