“The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along.”
The other day I was going to my men’s group and got caught in traffic. Looking ahead, all I could see were taillights. We came to a standstill, and all I could do was wait and inch along until the traffic cleared.
Paul was on his way to Rome to stand trial under Nero. He was aboard a ship with 276 men and a bunch of cargo. They were having trouble sailing along the coast, and Paul warned them not to sail any further because it would come at great loss to the ship and everyone on board (verse 10). Well, the centurion did not listen to Paul, but rather to the owner of the ship, and they decided to sail on because the harbor they were in was not suitable for winter. I know what you’re thinking: Why would anyone listen to Paul, a prisoner on the ship, rather than the captain? Well, they sailed on, and a small wind became a huge storm. The Bible tells us that they were caught in the storm, and it was so strong that all they could do was be driven by its winds wherever they were carried until they ran aground on some island.
We often find ourselves in sticky situations, ones we have created through our own wisdom. Paul and the fellas on the ship were in a pickle. If they had only listened to Paul. We have the rest of the story to read, but they were living it minute by minute.
God often gives us a nudge from the Holy Spirit when we are about to mess up. Some of us know this nudge very well; others pass it off like the men in charge of the ship. The lesson we are to learn is that God sometimes speaks through the most unlikely sources to get our attention. That storm in your life right now may be because you chose not to listen to the Holy Spirit and went forward with your own judgment. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
It is our own understanding that gets us in trouble most of the time. Before the next decision in life, stop and pray. Ask the Lord to show you how you are to proceed. It might just be the saving grace that spares you some heartache. The storm won’t kill you, but it can wreck things. Don’t let yourself miss the nudge from the One Jesus sent to coach us, the Holy Spirit.
Prayer: Father, I ask You right now to help me listen to and recognize when the Holy Spirit is nudging me. I pray for strength and character when that nudge comes, and for the will to move forward and trust You, Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Let It Go 
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