"Don't fight!"
- Pastor Jim White
- Apr 22, 2019
- 2 min read
"Since the ship was caught and could not be turned head-on into the wind, we gave way to it and we're driven."
(Acts 27:15)
I'm not a sailor. Thought I was going to attend the US Coast Guard Academy for college, but didn't pass my medical exam. Turns out that was a good thing, as I later found out I get rather seasick.
I imagine seasickness was rampant on Paul's sea voyage to Rome. Acts 27 recounts their harrowing voyage when they ran into a northeastern storm. It was so strong, they couldn't get the ship under control, and they let themselves be blown by the wind. The storm laster for 14 days before the ship ran aground. (God helped protect the passengers without loss of any life, BTW!)
In Hawaii, I spent a fair amount of time in the ocean. I loved snorkeling, body surfing, boogie-boarding, and just kind of floating out in the water. But you always have to be aware of the currents. They can sweep you out into the deep waters of the sea, if you're not careful. The experts give some counter-intuitive advice for when you get caught up in a strong undertow current: don't fight it. Just go with it. Let it carry you out. Then once the current subsides, start swimming back. Otherwise, you may use up all your energy trying to "fight" the current, and won't be able to make it back safely.
So when Paul's ship decided to let it be driven by the win, that's sort of the course of action it took (don't fight it!). Metaphorically, this story reminds me that sometimes when the "storms of life" arise, it may not actually be the best strategy to "fight it." That could kill you (by you using all of your energy fighting). Don't give up, of course. But consider letting the "current carry out out to sea," THEN figure out how to make your way back to safety. Let the wind blow you where it will, then make the best of it.
As people of faith, trust that God is with us in the storms of life. God will help us make our way back to safety at the right time. We don't always have to fight against the big "nor'easters" of life.
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