God Running is a place for anyone who wants to (or even anyone who wants to want to) love Jesus more deeply, follow Jesus more closely, and love people the way Jesus wants us to.

In our last post from the book of Acts we saw how Paul and his shipmates suffered through a raging storm, and we also saw how Paul’s character contrasted with that of some of those shipmates. If you’re interested you can read more here: “Character and Commitment vs. the Easy Life–Acts 27“. As I write this, it’s the day after Thanksgiving. And before I wrote this, I made a long list of what I have to be thankful for. It took a long time to write that list. I might be the most blessed man on the planet. But even blessed men suffer. So in today’s post we’ll learn about the way Paul suffered, and we’ll see why you and I can give thanks for our suffering.

Acts 28:1-10

After we were brought safely through, we then learned that the island was called Malta. The native people showed us unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold. When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.” He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.

Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days. It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery. And Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him, healed him. And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. They also honored us greatly, and when we were about to sail, they put on board whatever we needed.

So in our last post from the book of Acts we left Paul in a raging storm. He and everyone else on board endured this storm for weeks. They tossed their cargo overboard, they tossed their tackle overboard, but even with these efforts to lighten the ship, most everyone had given up hope. They had lost all control. They were driven along hard by the high winds. Eventually they collided with a reef and the ship was destroyed. And yet not one life was lost. Everyone on board was saved, just as Paul had said they would be, because of what was shared with him by an angel: “Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.” (Acts 27:13-44)

Today, in chapter 28, we see they were brought safely through. Everyone on board managed to make it to an island. And the native people there showed them unusual kindness. They built a warming fire for them, and welcomed them. But as Paul was putting some wood on the fire, a snake bit him on his hand. The locals saw this as a sign that Paul was guilty, a murderer receiving justice. But when Paul shook the snake off into the fire and displayed no ill effects, they then thought he was a god.

The leading official on that island (called Malta) was named Publius. And Publius’s father was sick with fever and dysentery. But Paul laid hands on him and prayed for him and healed him. Then many brought their sick to Paul, and Paul healed them too.

After wintering there for some months, when they were about to set sail for Italy, on a different ship, the locals gave them all that they needed for their voyage.

A Young Atheist’s Conversation with a Priest

Last week I watched a conversation between a young atheist and a Catholic priest. And the atheist shared that he felt as though he genuinely wanted to believe, but try as he might, he couldn’t bring himself to accept the Gospel as true.

The priest was gentle with the young atheist. But after considering all he said, especially a quote he shared at the end of the conversation, I came to see what the priest was getting at. I think there are several reasons the atheist struggles with believing, but perhaps the main one came down to that quote that was shared:

“Man has places in his heart which do not yet exist, and into them enters suffering, in order that they may have existence.”

― Léon Bloy

If you’re old, no doubt you can understand this. I know I absolutely see the truth in that statement in my own life. When I was young, before I lost people I love, before people I love suffered serious illness and injury, before I suffered serious illness and injury, before I caused others to suffer because of my immaturity and ignorance, there were places in my heart that did not yet exist. But then after the suffering those places came into existence.

And they’re humble places.

Have you ever wondered why the Lord struck Paul blind during his first encounter with Jesus? I wonder if it was because He was creating places in Paul’s heart that did not yet exist.

And today, in our text, we see this happening in not only Paul, but also in the hearts of everyone around Paul. Julius the centurion, the Roman soldiers, the ship’s crew and the prisoners on board, the locals on the island of Malta: they all saw Paul’s calm solid trust in Christ during the storm. They all saw Paul’s prophetic statement about their survival come to pass. Then they all saw Paul heal Publius’s father and other locals on the island.

No doubt, for many, Paul’s suffering, and the way he suffered, resulted in new places in their hearts coming into existence.

No doubt Paul’s suffering and the way Paul suffered attracted people to Christ.

Reasons to Give Thanks for Suffering

So we have reasons. Reasons to give thanks for our suffering. God is creating new places in our hearts, places that don’t yet exist.

Humble places.

We can give thanks for our suffering when we recognize God is using it to grow us more into the likeness of Jesus.

We can give thanks for our suffering when we recognize God is using it to attract others to Jesus.

And we can give thanks for our suffering when we recognize God is using it to prepare us for eternity. This life is but a moment in proportion to eternity. So don’t lose heart!

As Paul himself wrote,

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

–2 Corinthians 4:16-18

“Father thank You for the suffering You allow us to endure. We pray You will fill us with the Spirit of Jesus so we will suffer well in Your sight. We pray You will create those new places in our heart that You desire to create. And we pray You will help us to suffer well so we can attract others to Jesus.

“In Jesus’ name we ask this of You Father.

“Amen.”

Notes:

Conversation between the young atheist and the Catholic Priest: What happens when we seek God but can’t find Him? with Alex O’Connor and Father Pine

Image of Shipwreck on Stormy Seas, Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky, 1886 via garystockbridge617–Public Domain