Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the Northeaster, swept down from the island. The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along. Acts 27:14-15 NIV
In Acts, chapter 27, Luke recounts a time when Paul and his friends were on a ship during a violent storm. As he describes the journey, he uses phrases like, “the winds were against us” (verse 4), “the wind did not allow us to hold our course” (verse 7), “we moved along with difficulty” (verse 8), and “much time had been lost” (verse 9). Do you ever feel like the wind is against you and you’re being knocked off course? We all have moments when the storms of life sweep in and we struggle to make headway. We can feel like the circumstances are just too difficult to plow through, and though we know we are losing valuable time, we just can’t seem to break free.
Because they were afraid they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along. Acts 27:17b NIV
When fear takes over, it’s easy to just give way to it and allow our circumstances to drive us along, farther and farther from where we want to be! That’s a scary and sometimes very dark place to be! Luke says in verse 18, “We took such a violent battering from the storm!” Can you relate?
When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved. Acts 27:20 NIV
On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic Sea. Acts 27:27a NIV
Using this map, look how far they were driven off course! They started in Fair Havens, intending to go to Phoenix, but the storm drove them across the sea all the way to Malta!
Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight. Acts 27:29 NIV
There comes a time when we need to say, “Enough is enough,” when we drop anchors and refuse to continue being driven off course! If we want to serve God and live in faith, we can’t allow our circumstances to determine the direction of our lives. We must dig our heels in and stand firm in our faith, trusting God to see us through the storm, leaving the outcome in His hands!
Esther reached that point, when she realized Mordecai was right, so she resolved to fast and pray, then approached the king with the mentality, “If I perish, I perish.” Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego dropped anchors when they declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand, but even if he doesn’t, we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up!” Job resolved to stay on course when he refused to curse God and instead declared, “Though He slay me, yet will I serve Him!”
If you’re navigating through a storm today don’t let it knock you completely off course! Don’t allow anything to drive you away from God; resolve, right now, that every difficult circumstance will cause you to draw nearer to Him. If you feel like you’ve lost control and circumstances are already driving you along then it’s time to drop all four anchors! Don’t risk complete shipwreck of your life! Determine today to do whatever it takes to stand firm in your faith! Pray and fast! Dig into God’s word! Seek God with all your heart and you will find, in the midst of the storm, God will fill your heart with peace and assurance. You will no longer be driven along; you will be anchored in Him!