Bold Faith Deflects Doubts!

By Rod Anderson, CP Cartoonist Tuesday, August 04, 2015

n Acts 27 (AMP), there's a great story about the apostle Paul. He was travelling by ship with some people when "a violent wind [of the character of a typhoon] … came bursting down from the island" (v. 14). For days they were caught in the storm, and at one point it was so fierce, they were "dangerously tossed about by the violence of the storm" (v. 18) and had to throw the ship's equipment overboard. They ended up without food — hungry, stranded, seemingly without hope.

In that moment, Paul stood in the midst of the survivors and said to them, "I beg you to be in good spirits and take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you …" (v. 22). He then shared that an angel of God told him this, and said in verse 25, "So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith (complete confidence) in God that it will be exactly as it was told me."

How could Paul, in the middle of a horrible storm, ask the people to "be in good spirits" and have a good attitude? Because he believed in his heart — without a doubt — "that it will be exactly as it was told me." I love that! It's a great picture of the power of faith in God when all hope seems lost. And we can have the very same faith that Paul had if we will overcome doubt.