Imagine that you are being taken across the stormy seas, away from your home, and off to stand trial, where you are likely to face death. Suddenly, the ship is beginning to fall apart and everyone is terrified around you.
You would be scared, wouldn’t you?
In Acts (chapter 7), Paul is in this exact same circumstance. But he is met with an angel who commands him, “Do not be afraid”, and goes on to say that God has promised to spare the lives of everyone on the ship. Paul goes on to encourage everyone on board and even when they arrive safely (despite many hardships along the way), Paul’s life is spared in the courtroom as well.
You may have read this story before and thought that it was an interesting chapter of the Bible. Then you closed your Bible, went to bed, and spent hours contemplating all of your problems and worrying about what you can do to change the situation you are in right now.
Not many of us will be in a shipwreck like Paul. But we all have our own storms that are just as terrifying and life-altering as this one.
You may be struggling to trust God right now. But just as we continue to have storms, we also continue to have God, who promises to take care of us and tells us over and over again to not be afraid.
I know it’s really hard to understand why God is bringing you through this particular storm you’re in the middle of right now. But in the end, you wouldn’t have had the same opportunities to share God’s love and deepen your relationship with Him otherwise. Life is very difficult to comprehend, but looking back at all the times that God has led the way will help you realize how much He loves you and how God is the only One in control.
So today, if you are struggling to make sense of the situation you’re in, remember that you can always turn to God no matter what. He will be there to encourage you and help you encourage others with the hope and peace He will place inside you. You can’t do this alone, but that’s okay, because you aren’t alone. God will guide you and help you become exactly who you are meant to be. All you have to do is trust God and realize that whatever is meant for you will eventually be yours. Don’t be afraid.
The Will to Wake Up 