The wonder of God’s promises
Estimated Reading time: 6 minutes · Written by tim chilversIt’s no secret that we are a weary generation. Whether it’s the exhaustion of our daily grind, the emotional fatigue of uncertainty, or the spiritual drain of navigating a turbulent world, tiredness seems to cling to us. A recent YouGov survey reports that over 70% of people in the UK feel tired at least half of the time, and nearly 40% are tired most or all of the time. These statistics aren’t just numbers—they’re a reflection of a collective weariness that many of us carry, often silently.
So, what do we do with that weariness? How do we move from being tired and disheartened to rediscovering wonder, purpose, and hope? That’s the question that has guided our church through the recent series: From Weary to Wonder. As we draw it to a close, we find ourselves reflecting not only on our tiredness but on the storms, shipwrecks, and the ever-unpredictable sea of life.
The Reality of Storms
Life doesn’t always go to plan. Some seasons feel like we’re caught in a hurricane, just trying to stay upright. We all experience times when the storms of life crash into us: illness, loss, broken relationships, financial difficulties, or emotional burdens we can barely name.
In Acts 27, Paul experiences one such storm, literally. On his way to Rome, his ship is battered by a hurricane-force wind. The passage describes the ship being “driven along”, “battered”, and finally “broken to pieces”. It’s vivid, raw, and deeply human. And it echoes how many of us feel when life takes a turn we never expected.
Storms like these can leave us disoriented. We lose sight of the stars and the sun, much like Paul did, and we begin to wonder if there’s any hope left. Maybe you’ve asked, “God, where are you? Why is this happening? This isn’t how I planned my life.” And yet, even in those moments of confusion and pain, God is not absent. He is present, holding us even when the waves rise higher than our faith.
The Pain of Shipwrecks
Sometimes the storm is just the beginning. For some, life has moved beyond difficult—it feels utterly shipwrecked. You may have made mistakes, or perhaps the brokenness has come from circumstances beyond your control. Regardless, there is a sense of having run aground, of life having splintered into pieces.
Paul knew this too. His ship didn’t just struggle through the storm, it was destroyed. And yet, he survived. So did everyone else on board. In God’s providence, even in the shipwreck, there was purpose and hope.
Shipwrecks don’t always look dramatic on the outside. They may come quietly, in the form of a faith that has gone cold, a purpose that has faded, or a heart that feels distant from God. And yet, even in those moments of despair, God is not done with us.
One pastor described life’s shipwrecks this way: “While I would not recommend a shipwreck to anyone…I can attest to a mysterious truth…On the other side of the storm that tears you to pieces is a capacity to love without doubt, to live without fear, to be something infinitely more powerful than you were before.” That’s the redemptive beauty of our God. He takes our wreckage and builds something stronger from it.
The Sea of Uncertainty
Even when we’re not in the throes of a storm or recovering from a shipwreck, we are all navigating the sea. In Scripture, the sea often symbolises chaos, danger, and uncertainty. It’s a powerful metaphor for the world we live in, a place where politics, climate, and personal pressures shift constantly, leaving us unsure of what’s next.
But here’s the promise: there is One who calms the sea.
In Revelation 21, the apostle John writes of a new heaven and a new earth where “there was no longer any sea”. It’s not that God is against oceans—He created them, after all—but rather, that in His Kingdom, chaos, uncertainty, and fear are banished. There is peace, rest, and unshakeable security.
And in the here and now, Jesus is our lifeboat in the storm. Like the orange vessels from Saving Lives at Sea, He comes for us in our distress. He doesn’t always still the storm immediately, but He stays with us in it, and that changes everything.
The Purpose: A Life Beyond Ourselves
For some, the weariness of life isn’t from trauma or tragedy but from a lack of direction. We drift through days without knowing what we’re really living for. It’s exhausting. But David Whyte, the poet, once wrote, “The antidote to exhaustion isn’t rest. It’s wholeheartedness.”
That rings true for many of us. Weariness sometimes comes not from doing too much, but from doing things that don’t matter. Paul, even in the midst of his shipwreck, held fast to his purpose. God had told him, “You must stand trial before Caesar.” In other words, “You still have a job to do, Paul.”
Knowing your purpose gives meaning to the storms. It doesn’t remove the pain, but it gives perspective. And it lifts the weight off our shoulders because the responsibility belongs to God. When we know we are living for something greater than ourselves—building God’s Kingdom—it breathes energy into weary bones.
The Presence: God With Us
In turbulent times, we don’t just need answers, we need presence. Just as a child instinctively reaches for a parent’s hand in a moment of fear, we long for the assurance that we are not alone.
Paul experienced this too. In Acts 27:23, he says, “Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me.” What a beautiful phrase—“stood beside me”. The presence of God didn’t remove the storm, but it gave Paul courage to face it.
And not just God’s presence—Paul had others with him. He urged the sailors to “keep up your courage”. He was present with them, and they with him. Community is a lifeline in hard times. It’s often tempting to retreat when life is difficult, to stay away from church, from friends, from small groups. But those are the very places we need to be. We need others to say, “You’re not alone. Keep going.”
Isolation breeds despair. But presence—God’s and others’—brings strength.
The Promise: God Will Do What He Says
At the heart of it all is this truth: God keeps His promises.
Acts begins with Jesus saying, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses… to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). By the end of the book, despite storms, prison, and shipwrecks, Paul is doing just that—preaching in Rome “with all boldness and without hindrance” (Acts 28:31).
The promise was fulfilled.
God doesn’t always promise smooth sailing, but He does promise that His purposes will prevail. And if we belong to Him, then we can trust that no storm, no shipwreck, no uncertain sea can derail the calling He has placed on our lives.
When we are weary, we need to remember the promises of God:
He is with us. (Isaiah 41:10)
He has plans to give us a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)
Nothing can separate us from His love. (Romans 8:38–39)
He who began a good work in us will carry it on to completion. (Philippians 1:6)
Hold on to those promises. Speak them over your life. Write them on your mirror, your notebook, your heart.
From Weariness to Wonder
So where do we go from here?
If you’re tired, in body, mind, or soul, run to the One who understands. If your life feels stormy, shipwrecked, or uncertain, run to Jesus. His arms are open. His presence is near. His promises are true.
We’re not promised a life without storms, but we are promised a Saviour who walks on water, who stills the waves, and who brings purpose to pain. He can turn weariness into wonder.
And when you look back, like so many others have, you might just find yourself saying, “I wouldn’t choose to go through that again… but I wouldn’t trade who I’ve become because of it either.”
That is the wonder of walking with Jesus through life’s storms.
The original teaching has been edited for clarity and brevity; This is not a transcript.