Remember when Paul was going to Rome? He started the voyage with a certain destination in mind. But on his way, between Crete and Rome, a tempestuous wind came, a Euro’clydon, a type of cyclone, and the ship couldn’t make any headway. Those on board lost the cargo and they lost their hope.

The downside of following our will, how tragic it can be! The ship with its valuable cargo was lost. They were carrying wheat from Egypt, which was the source of food for Rome. They lost everything. All was thrown overboard.

But God had other plans.

We read in Acts 27:20-26 that “when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away. But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.”

Paul was God’s representative in the midst of hopelessness. But by faith the apostle knew that everything would work out for good!

With the visit of Paul, all that were sick in that island were healed.

In Jeremiah 29:11, God tells us “I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” The New International Version has a really encouraging translation of this verse. It reads:

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Remember the experience with the Tower of Babel. God had told the people to "be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth." But they decided not to do that. If they would have listened to God’s word, we might not have had the complication of all these different languages that we have today. Imagine going to any country in the world and still being able to speak and understand everyone. But unfortunately, that did not happen. Instead, God introduced different languages and they were forced to separate themselves.

Psalm 33:10 explains, “The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.”

“Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that” (James 4:13–15).

“Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?” (Isaiah 29:15, 16).

“Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain” (Psalm 127:1).

We are to plan carefully. Yet we are also warned against having anxious thoughts. Jesus says, “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof” (Matthew 6:34).

The Greek word translated here as “thought” is “merimnao” which means to be anxious. Having a lack of faith brings us to depressing and perplexing thoughts.

“Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellers they are established” (Proverbs 15:22).

“This also cometh forth from the Lord of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working” (Isaiah 28:29).

“I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved” (Psalm 16:8). If you have any plans for your life, make sure God approves them and make sure He is guiding you.

Let us say, If God wills—and really mean it!

“There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand” (Proverbs 19:21).