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All of us face trials and hardships. Some come at us as shipwrecks out of the blue! How do we manage these trials? Do they crush us or make us stronger?

Recently, I experienced one of these devastating challenges, unpredictable and gut-wrenching. I would describe the experience akin to being winded. It renders you doubled up in pain and hardly able to breathe. I didn’t know which way was up and which way was down. I give you a shipwreck as an analogy.

Anger and Fight

Jesus recused the disciples from a potential shipwreck:

Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and (Jesus) was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed. (Mark 6:47–51).

I think the fight instinct is often triggered by fear, which leads to anger and then to fight. We are no longer in control and our human nature kicks in with a strength we never imagined we had. We become the superhero, and we get all the accolades. But is this the best response to our shipwreck?

Flight and Depression

Jonah was running from the Lord and hides:

Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.” (Jonah 1:4–6).

This time fear triggered flight, but Jonah’s journey was via depression. Notice how he simply hid below decks and fell asleep! How often do we see fear and depression as our response to a shipwreck? We go into denial. We become mentally and psychologically paralysed and perhaps even physically paralysed. Fight might be a solution to a shipwreck, but flight most certainly is not, as we are bound to drown, asleep, in the sinking ship!

Faith and Prayer

14 Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the Northeaster, swept down from the island. 15 The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along.

16 As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure, 17 so the men hoisted it aboard. Then they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Because they were afraid they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along. 18 We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard.

19 On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. 20 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.

21 After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: “Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. 22 But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed.

23 Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me 24 and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’

25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. 26 Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.” (Acts 27:14–26).

Paul, on his way to Rome via Crete. Notice the fear, then the actions. No lifeboat was available (there was no plan B), the sailors tied the boat together with reinforcements (they sought to patch up the cracks), they lowered the anchor (they put the brakes on), they let the boat run before the wind, and finally they threw all their cargo, and their baggage overboard.

They finally gave up all hope and could no longer eat. Then Paul stood up, but only after very many days and nights in the perilous waters. This shipwreck was far from a sudden event coming out of the blue. No, this one kept on coming, day after day, night after night.

Paul urged them to take courage, not to be afraid. Paul had faith, not just for himself but for all who sailed with him. He had faith that none would be lost, but everything they possessed would be. They could take nothing with them, the ultimate example of travelling light!

A Recipe for Overcomers

While we never want shipwrecks, we seek to avoid them at all costs. However, I believe they can teach us invaluable lessons. Consider this recipe for overcomers:

Courage + Face the facts + Do what you can + Faith and prayer + Word of testimony

Courage

It seems to me that our fundamental response to a shipwreck is fear. Fear of what? Fear of death. Perfect love casts out all fear (1 John 4:18). But we find it so hard to cast out all fear, so much so that the Bible urges us to take courage at least 114 times!

Take your own fear temperature. How high is it? I guess you won’t know until you have a shipwreck, then, take your fear temperature. I think that once we have named it, fear, we are a good way to overcoming it. If we trip passed it and end up in anger and fight, or flight and depression, it’s too late. Let’s see if we can catch fear right at the door of the shipwreck.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9).

Face Facts

I know some very well-meaning people who seem to want to, name it and claim it, but deep down, they are denying the facts. For me it’s essential to face facts. To keep our feet on the ground, as best we can in a shipwreck. It doesn’t fool anyone to deny the facts, except perhaps us.

18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God. (Romans 4:18–20).

The tensions in the Middle East today, between the Jews and the Arabs can all be traced back to this single moment in time, when Abraham faced the facts, but did not waver in his faith. Just think what impact your facing the facts might have on generations to come, to say nothing of saving you from your own current shipwreck.

Do What You Can

I am reading the book of Deuteronomy at present. The Israelites had arrived at the River Jordan, their wandering in the wilderness over. But now they had to take action. They actually had to take a stand and most of the time it involved setting out, in battle formation, to take on and completely destroy the enemy:

I believe that shipwrecks are best handled in community not in isolation. The Israelite’s advance was not sole but in families, clans, and tribes. They were shoulder to shoulder with their community.

See, the Lord your God has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, told you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 1:21)

This taking possession meant the complete slaughter of everyone who stood in their way, men, women and children. This was no walk in the park, this was gut-wrenching slaughter.

Thankfully we are not called to do this today but I do believe we are called to do works without question (Philippians 2:12). Works that will cost us everything and may well mean that we only travel forward to our destination with the clothes we stand up in.

Faith and Prayer

This is undoubtedly the hardest, but most essential and most powerful part of the recipe. For me, I use a variety of responses. I surrender the shipwreck to the Lord. This is so hard when fear has gripped me, and I can’t let go of the iron grip of my hands.

The battle is not mine but the Lord’s (2 Chronicles 20:15)! Naturally I feel responsible for the shipwreck, but I must remind myself that this is not the case. It’s a battle to see the battle as the Lord’s, often a daily battle (Daily Declaration).

Let the peace of God guard my heart (Philippians 4:7). Taking deep breaths, intentionally slowing my breathing and lowering my shoulders as I let the tensions run out of my body.

In prayer, often all I have is groanings which cannot be uttered (Romans 8:26). I can’t express any intelligible words, it’s simply the cry of my heart in the spirit. But the Lord knows. He hears and he comes into my shipwreck.

Word of Our Testimony

This is not faking it till me make it. Rather waiting patiently until we genuinely have the answer to our shipwreck. Perhaps the leak has been repaired, or perhaps the ship has been broken up. Either way, the shipwreck is passed. We are now in receipt of a miracle not of our making. The Lord came to us on the water, and he calmed everything.

Now is the time to tell our story.

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. (Revelation 12:11).

I have no idea how this works, but I believe it! The shipwreck may have been of our own making, and we are embarrassed about it. The shipwreck may have come straight from left field, but we still feel it was our fault. Either way, I the embarrassment will pass.

The shipwreck you are facing may be straight from the devil’s play book, I think there are quite a few of these around these days. Therefore, this makes the wisdom of living in community all the more important. I pray that these thoughts help someone through your shipwreck. They helped me!

Prayer

Let me pray with you:

Lord, we surrender this shipwreck to you, we will do all we can here on earth to save the passengers and crew, but we know the battle is yours not ours. Lord give us your strength to stand through the battle and your peace in our hearts as we go through this shipwreck. Lord, bring warriors alongside us to support us and to help clear the way forward towards our destiny. Finally, Lord, in the words of Job, even if you slay us, yet will we trust you. In Jesus Name, Amen!

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Photo by Yevhen Buzuk on Unsplash.