Take heart.

Acts 24:21-27, Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and incurred this injury and loss. Yet now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. But we must run aground on some island.”

Storms may come storms may go, and generally they have no purpose. But Paul had a purpose, and he and the others were caught up in this purpose, to bring the gospel to Rome and to stand and give testimony before before Caesar. How might his purpose be furthered by some adversity we are facing today?

All of our hope and trust is in you, Lord for we know that you will carry use through!

ESV Lectionary