“A fierce wind called the “northeaster” rushed down from the island. Since the ship was caught and unable to head into the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along.”
— ACTS 27:14-15 CSB

Surely no long sailing voyage was ever completely without incident in the first century, but the one carrying Paul and other prisoners bound for Rome was devastating by anyone’s measure. The wind kicked up at some point in their journey and wouldn’t relent, creating weeks of harrowing turbulence and heroic attempts at rescue. Finally, in a last-ditch effort to not capsize on the high seas, they ran aground near the island of Malta, where they swam ashore on floating planks and other pieces of debris that once had been their traveling vessel.

Malta was not their original destination. But Malta was where they ended up.

Storms will do that to you sometimes—wash you ashore in unfamiliar places, around unfamiliar people.

Paul and those with him were greeted there by the island residents. And he quickly discovered that this unexpected destination of Malta was teeming with opportunity for ministry. “The leading man of the island” (Acts 28:7) had a father who’d been put to bed with fever and sickness. Paul went and prayed over him, and the man received healing from his condition. “After this, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed” (v. 9 CSB). If not for the storm, Paul wouldn’t have been in this location to meet these people and help them.

God’s sovereignty had not been shipwrecked by the storm. His plans were not derailed just because the sailors’ plans had been thrown off course. God’s hand had steered them to the exact place where revival was primed to break out. And the storm was the instrument He used to do it.

Think of how long the people of Malta had been calling out, begging for help from their distresses—praying to their gods, perhaps wondering if there even was a God. They could not have known that the answer to their prayer was being brewed up by a storm. For out on the ocean, where Paul was also praying, confident that God was somehow going to bring him safely to his intended destination, the Lord was diverting him to this place where he would have the privilege of being God’s answer to someone else’s prayers.

Are you in a fierce storm right now? Are you watchful and mindful of the various places it’s unexpectedly taking you and all the various people it’s unexpectedly introducing you to?

Next time you’re frustrated or perplexed by where your latest storm has dumped you, pray for the joy of discovering that God is using this storm to intersect your life with someone else’s life, becoming part of answering their prayer, even as He’s answering yours. Pray that He would make you sensitive enough, discerning enough and interested enough in other people to sense when He is moving you into position to be a caring solution to their needs.

Because not even a storm can reroute God’s people from being a key part of God’s purposes.

“Even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.”

— PHILIPPIANS 2:17