…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." When the fourteenth night had come, as we were being driven across the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors suspected that they were nearing land. Acts 27:24-27

Paul’s confidence that God would get the ship and its passengers to Rome was grounded in the fact that God had told Paul that he would testify in Rome. Two observations:

First, God frequently blesses people (including those who are not His people), as a collateral blessing, because His people are present. God told Paul he would testify in Rome, so Paul knew that He would eventually arrive in Rome—and those who were headed to Rome with him would likewise arrive there. As God blessed Potipher’s house and the prison warden in Egypt because of Joseph, Paul was sure that those who were traveling with him would receive God’s blessing with him. This causes me to consider my life. Am I living a manner to enjoy God’s blessings? If so, others around me will likely benefit. If not—maybe I need to consider how I am living.

Second, even though God was going to get Paul to Rome, there was no promise that it would all be smooth sailing to get there. Sometimes God’s promises are easily received. Sometimes not so much. Consider Joseph again. God sent him to Egypt so that he would be in a position to save his family from dying in a famine (Genesis 50:20). The route to that position included being sold as a slave, being falsely accused of committing a rape, and languishing for some years in an Egyptian dungeon. We can be assured that God will keep His promises, but us not forget Paul’s words in Acts 14:22, “…through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” Therefore when trusting God, we cannot assume life will be easy, nor ought we to be surprised and lose heart when life is difficult.