Storms

Acts 27:20 "The terrible storm raged for many days, blotting out the sun and the stars until at last all hope was gone."

As the Eating Disorder Awareness Week ends, I was struck by this scripture. It was written during time when Paul was prisoner on a ship set sail for Italy. When winds started to blow, Paul warned the captain, but he discounted the warning and chose to keep going. The storm soon became too much for the crew to handle.

The following verse, Acts 27:21 says "No one had eaten for a long time..."

An eating disorder is like v20...a "terrible storm" that rages "for many days". It is like a whirlwind of confusion...a tornado of lies...a shattering earthquake too strong to get solid footing. It seems as though it will never end....how could it...that would mean gaining weight, letting go of control, revealing the inside that has been hidden for so long, letting go of shame and guilt, forgiving yourself...things that seem unattainable. Pain and isolation "blot out the sun and the stars"...the very things that shine light. "...until at last all hope is gone." All hope. Gone.

That is what an eating disorder feels like...no hope...lasting forever...a terrible raging storm.

In Acts 27 the crew of the ship began to lose all hope of life. They threw things overboard. They didn't eat. They sat depressed not knowing what to do next. The storm was too strong for them. Some tried to abandon ship. There was nothing else to do...but abandon the structure that was taking them to where they were suppose to go.

This crew didn't know what else to do. In their eyes they were never going to recover their belongings. They were not going to make it through this storm. They wanted to give up.

BUT GOD had other plans...An angel of the Lord came to Paul and told him to "take courage" (v25). Paul's faith brought them through. His believe in the Lord. His faith in God's promises. When no one else could see light or hope, Paul's unwavering faith stood firm in the midst of raging waters and darkness. When God said that they would all live and be shipwrecked on an island, Paul believed.

When God says He loves us and calls us His masterpiece, we must have unwavering faith, stand firm in the midst of the raging storm and trust that what God says is truth. When all we can hear are the lies, we must "take courage" and know that God will bring us to safety.

When immersed in the depths of an eating disorder or really any type of storm, there seems like there is no hope. BUT GOD...but God says there is.

Everything Paul said happened. They were safe. They were shipwrecked. They people on the island where they landed were very kind to them. While Paul was making a fire a poisonous snake bit him on the hand, but he just shook it off and kept making the fire. Everyone who saw it was amazed. They were just waiting for him to die. But he didn't. "He wasn't harmed" (from 28:3-6)

Paul knew that God kept his promises and when God said that nothing would happened to them, Paul believed it. He trusted that what God said was truth. There was no doubt in his mind or heart that this snake could hurt him. God's promises are true.

"And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness." Romans 8:26
"And we know that god causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." Romans 8:28
"If God is for us, who can ever be against us?" Romans 8:31
"Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love?" Romans 8:35
"...overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us." Romans 8:37
"...Nothing can separate us from God's love" Romans 8:38
Each of these verses...are for each of us. They are His promise to us.

The storm cleared. They were safe. Light came. Hope returned.

God says "take courage".

I pray that anyone who is in the midst of a storm and can't see light or hope...will cling to God's promise of light, love and hope. Never stop believing in the promise of our loving God.

In love, Teresa