You Can do This

Does your life look like a shipwreck right now?

Maybe you’re sick or your loved ones are. Maybe you’ve lost someone dear to you.

Maybe you’re frustrated and sad and just plain weary that you can’t spend time with loved ones.

Maybe finances are just awful and you’re worried about what to do for the holidays.

Paul was in a literal shipwreck. And to make matters worse, he was on the ship because he was being taken to Rome for trial on trumped-up charges related to his faith in Jesus.

Nonetheless, on the day before the shipwreck–while being tossed here and there on the ship–he led a thanksgiving meal of sorts. Scripture tells us “he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all he broke it and began to eat. Then they all were encouraged and ate some food themselves” (Acts 27:35-36).

In the middle of the storm, Paul led that group of 276 persons in a thanksgiving meal. They broke bread together. They gave thanks to God. They were encouraged by this simple act of thanksgiving, food, and fellowship.

The next day they shipwrecked. However, every single person survived. And because they had had crashed offshore the island of Malta, Paul had the opportunity to heal many people with various diseases (Acts 28:7-10). As a result an island of people came to understand the power of the Christian faith.

His Rome experience went similarly. He was able to testify to his faith and even write letters from Rome to believers (Philemon, Colossians, Philippians)–letters now part of the New Testament.

Sometimes the shipwreck that we are living seems unbearable. We want to give up, to allow ourselves to be thrown onto the rocks. But Paul’s life shows us that shipwrecks are simply opportunities for us to live our lives even better and stronger than we had.

My life verse comes from one of those letters Paul wrote when he was imprisoned in Rome. Daily it inspires me to do that which I think I cannot do. Perhaps it will also help you through any struggle you may be going through:

“I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” –Philippians 4:13 NLT

You can do this. Keep #LookingUp !

Janet McHenry is a speaker and author who writes about prayer and the inspiration she gets daily from God’s Word. The prayerwalking lady, she is widely known for her bestselling book, PrayerWalk, which can be found here: https://www.janetmchenry.com/lookingup/specials. She would love to connect with you!

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