“You have to know how to sail safely through a storm.”
A few years ago on a vacation cruise, Gayle and I experienced a violent storm at sea. Well, more than a storm, it was a major hurricane off the Pacific coast of Mexico. To avoid the hurricane, the Captain turned out to sea, choosing to skip the damaged port of Cabo San Lucas where the storm hit land and sail safely to our next port in calmer waters.
Then it happened. The hurricane had bounced off shore right into the path of our ship. High winds, very rough seas, and a few frightened passengers wearing their orange life vests – just in case. What the Captain had attempted to avoid, he now had to confront – and we with him – for 36 hours. Life can be like that sometimes. You have to know how to safely navigate through a storm.
I don’t know if I was braver than others, but I was cautiously optimistic: I believed that the Captain and crew were trained and knew what they were doing, the ship was built for success in its element, and this was an aberration of weather not a permanent condition. Oh yes, we safely reached our next port – none the worse for wear, a little stressed by worry.
This is a turbulent time economically, and every day’s headlines and news commentary announce its worsening. It seems to be a time when assumptions and confidences are shaken and not enough certainty remains. See Hebrews 12:27 NKJV. Each day is increasingly uncomfortable and tomorrow feels more uncertain. Those proclaiming doom and gloom as well as those with empty but wishful reassurances seem to drown any voice of reason and balance. It is neither the end of the world nor a brief inconvenience; it is a financial and lifestyle storm through which you have to successfully navigate.
During the worst part of the hurricane, a couple of things I believed were confidence-boosting. Pragmatically, I reasoned that the ship’s company had too much financial liability to place vessel and passengers at risk – and their company’s business future – if not confident that this risk was minor, not major. I reasoned also that a ship is made to safely sail the seas in good and bad weather equally, not to be tied safely in port. It was a ship not a hotel. Its element was the sea, not a harbor. Every ship is designed and built to withstand stormy weather, not just gentle winds and calm seas.
Your faith is like that. Faith was made for such times. It is no great achievement to have faith when all is safe and well with you and yours. Faith is made for times when sickness intrudes your home, when resources are not enough, when family and friendships struggle, when questions exceed answers, and when others around you despair. Faith is made for times both calm and stormy, but especially for stormy weather. See Mark 4:35-39. Be sure that Jesus is with you in the storm.
Jesus warned Simon Peter of personal storms ahead for him, but also assured him, “I have prayed for you that your faith fail not.” Luke 22:31-32 NIV. Prayer makes a difference in your faith. Jesus is praying for you; are you praying? Secular news recently observed that church attendance has increased amid the turbulence and turmoil of recent personal and national life. It’s a time to seek God; it’s time to have faith; it’s time to trust His care and provision; it’s time to pray for the nation, others, and yourself.
The Bible describes the men of Issachar as “having understanding of the times to know what Israel should do.” 1 Chronicles 12:32. We need more people like that. You need to be around people like that, and you need to be someone like that for others. Your faith will weather every storm, if you know God’s Word and listen to what God says in your heart. See Acts 27:18-25.
My prayer for you today is to know how to sail safely through every storm.