Acts 27: A Story about Adversity

Throughout Acts 27, we find Paul encountering one dangerous event after another on his journey to be judged in Rome. Through this fascinating tale there are many life lessons to be found, particularly about dealing with trials.

1. Listen to prophets and promptings

In Acts 27:10, Paul gives a prophecy to those who are to travel on the journey with him warning them that the trip will prove dangerous to their lives. However, he is quickly ignored. What does he know? He was just a prisoner. Besides, the captain surely knew more about the ship than Paul did and he thought it would be fine. In addition, the wind was perfect for sailing the very short distance they needed to travel to reach a spot that was much better for spending the winter than where they were currently at. So, they ignored Paul. 

Because of this, the crew and the prisoners embarked on a perilous ship voyage that resulted in the destruction of the ship and almost of their lives. There are many times in our lives that we may be told to do something by prophets or by the Spirit, and they may not make sense. You don't always receive the why to why you should do something. Even if it seems strange and doesn't make sense (such as Paul's warning at a time when the weather was perfect), you should still follow this counsel because, if you go against the word of God, there will always be some type of consequence.

Though some trials can be brought about as a consequence of ignoring the word of God and can be avoided by following it, others can be brought about to test us and make us stronger. Whatever the cause, you can deal with such struggles through both simplifying your life and waiting out the storm. 

2. Simplify

As the crew traveled over the stormy seas, they began to fear for their chances of survival. As they became more worried, they began to toss things over the side of the ship to lighten the load. These are things they probably thought of as important a few days ago when they were on the shore, but in the end they were things that the crew members didn't really need and that only weighed them down. This is an example of something that we can do when times are tough. We can simplify our lives by getting rid of those things that aren't really important and focus on the things that are. This can help us to feel less overwhelmed and have a better chance of surviving with our sanity intact. 

3. Wait out the Storm

In Acts 27:29, the crewmen had just discovered that they were approaching land. They were in the midst of a horrific storm, in unfamiliar territory. It was probably a scary experience to be there in the dark during this time, not knowing what they were headed towards. How did the crew deal with this situation? They threw down their and "wished for the day." Sometimes, when life gets overwhelming and you feel as if you have lost control, you just have to hold on, ride out the storm, and wait for the morning. But here's the good news: the morning will come. Or, "Tomorrow Comes" if you are really into Les Miserables. And it came for the ship men as well when, in the morning, they were able to make it to land and no one lost their lives. All was well again.

The men on this journey survived the terrible experience that they went through. Likewise, we can have a better chance of making it through our times of deepest despair if we listen to the word of God, simplify our lives, and do the best we can until the danger passes.