WHAT IF...
Some storms can't be avoided, no matter what we do. Sometimes we are in trouble because of somebody else's mistake. That's what happened here to Paul. But God's Word teaches us to take action. Strive to survive. Take stock in the storm. It may not be as bad as you think it is.
Erma Bombeck wrote about a little boy named Donald who was afraid of starting school. Donald said, "My name is Donald, and I don't know anything. I have new underwear, a loose tooth, and didn't sleep last night because I'm worried. What if a bell rings and a man yells 'Where do you belong?' and I don't know? What if the trays in the cafeteria are too tall for me to reach? What if my loose tooth comes out when we have our heads down and are supposed to be quiet? Am I supposed to bleed quietly? What if I splash water on my name tag and my name disappears and no one knows who I am?"
(Source: Erma Bombeck, from a sermon by Rick Crandall, "Help for the Hard Storms of Life, part 1" 7/16/08)