How Did That Turn Out?
Who has not had that period in their life where the darkest clouds surrounded them, and the raging storms of life threatened them? Who has not been filled with anxiety and felt like Luke, who described that storm he shared with Paul on the apostle’s voyage to Rome? He said, “Now when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was finally given up” (Acts 27:20). All hope was lost! It seemed to be a totally hopeless situation.
Hopeless? Storm clouds rising?
The complete story of Paul’s shipwreck can so totally change how we view adversity. Without God, life can be hopeless. This is true for most people, but for His children, is there ever a hopeless situation? Look at the following stories and see how hopelessness turned into great blessings in others’ lives.
Ask Joseph about his life—hated by his older brothers; their desire to kill the dreamer; sold as a slave; bought by Potiphar whose wife hated Joseph so much her lies resulted in his imprisonment. Is that not a hopeless situation? Now ask Joseph later in his life, “How did all that turn out?” There is always hope with God.
After Moses fled from Egypt, ask him about his life—the results of him trying to do right in slaying the Egyptian who was beating the Jew; the desire of Pharaoh to kill him; his flight from Egypt; his fall from the palaces of Egypt to living like a nomad tending sheep for the next forty years. Is that not a hopeless situation? Now ask him again as he stood on Mount Pisgah and viewed the land flowing with milk and honey in all of its resplendent beauty. Ask him now, “How did that turn out?” There is always hope with God.
Ask Hezekiah about his hopeless situation—Assyria destroyed the northern kingdom of Israel, and that massive army had come south and surrounded Jerusalem. What hope was there when nearly 200,000 soldiers were ready to break open the gates or scale the walls of the city? It was a hopeless situation. Wait just a few days and ask Hezekiah, “How did that turn out?” Ask him how the king of Assyria lost 185,000 soldiers without the Jews having a single loss.
Ask the jailor in Philippi about that nightmare when in the middle of the night an earthquake freed all his prisoners. Ask him how hopeless he felt as he was ready to commit suicide. Ask him just hours later, “How did that turn out?” Ask him about the joy he then had as he shared a meal with his family and newfound friends. There is always hope with God.
Now make the application of these stories to your life. Life viewed without God may seem hopeless, but remember how these stories turned out. There is always hope with God.