For I believe God.

Acts 27:25

Traversing from point A to point B should be easy enough. Should be, but we all know that this straight-line trajectory isn’t always so easy. Even with GPS, we can still find ourselves heading the wrong way. Sometimes detours are just a misunderstanding of directions and other times the path is blocked by things beyond our control. Detours happen. Unannounced, unplanned, unwarranted. This happened to Paul and the people on board the ship with him when they encountered a storm so terrible it “blotted out the sun and the stars, until at last all hope was gone.”  The crew had been so worried that they hadn’t eaten in two weeks.

Ever been there? Ever had something come against you that left you so shaken that even food lost its appeal? When your stomach was so twisted in knots that you couldn’t have eaten even if you wanted? I have experienced that recently when the pandemic changed so much of my life and the lives of everyone I know and love. Some days, remembering the promises of God has been easy enough and other days, well, not so easy. But always, I have that choice – we all have that choice to make when, in our travels, we encounter a detour. The detour could be a storm, or cancer, or a horrible diagnosis, or the hurting words of a spouse or a parent, or the evidence of addiction, or the dwindling bank account. The detour could be undefined, unmanageable fear that has become a constant companion changing the path you were traversing. Whatever the storm, God has your life in His hands. He didn’t orchestrate the storm for you, or because of you, but He is in control and brings His promises to our hearts in the right time, if we are listening.

Paul was listening and chose to believe God and he was able to encourage the others to believe as well. And God delivered them safely. As He will you and me and our loved ones.

Father, I am ashamed at how much fear this pandemic could strike in my heart. So many reports, so much speculation, far too many bitter arguments about this.   The detour seems to be getting longer and harder, but I believe You. You have promised to be our ever present help in time of need, our Comforter, our Hope and I am hanging on to You and Your word through this detour. Help me to believe, help me to continually make the choice to hang on to you and Your word, I ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

I would love to hear from you. Please let me know if I can be praying for you as well.