Shipwrecked, but not Dead

Ren Schuffman
Aug 27
5 min read

When Shipwrecks Become Setups: Finding Purpose in Life's Detours

Have you ever found yourself in a place you never intended to be? Perhaps you're facing a situation that feels like a shipwreck—a detour from your planned destination. What if that detour isn't a setback but actually a divine setup?

In Acts 27-28, we find Paul shipwrecked on the island of Malta. What appeared to be a disaster became the platform for one of his greatest ministry opportunities. This powerful biblical account teaches us how God can use our apparent setbacks as setups for His greater purpose.

The Unexpected Detour: Paul's Shipwreck on Malta

Paul was being transported to Rome as a prisoner when his ship encountered a violent storm. Despite warnings not to sail, the ship's crew ignored Paul's advice, resulting in a shipwreck on Malta. Yet God had promised Paul that though the ship would be lost, no lives would be lost.

When they reached shore, the natives of Malta showed them "unusual kindness" by starting a fire to warm them. This small act of hospitality became the backdrop for an extraordinary ministry opportunity.

What Happens When the Enemy Attacks You?

While gathering wood for the fire, Paul was bitten by a venomous snake. The locals immediately assumed he must be a murderer, believing divine justice was being served. But something remarkable happened:

"However, Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no harm. They were expecting him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they waited a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and began to say he was a god." (Acts 28:5-6)

What's fascinating isn't just that Paul survived, but what this incident revealed about him. When the snake tried to inject death, Paul was carrying resurrection power. The difference wasn't in what happened to him, but in what he carried inside.

What Spills Out When Life Bumps Into You?

Imagine someone walking with a cup of coffee. If they get bumped, what spills out? Coffee, of course. Why? Because that's what was in the cup.

The same principle applies to our spiritual lives. When life "bumps" into you—through trials, attacks, or unexpected challenges—whatever is inside you will spill out:

If fear is in you, fear will spill out

If bitterness is in you, bitterness will spill out

If the Spirit of God is in you, power, peace, and praise will spill out

Don't wait until something bumps you to decide what you'll carry. Fill your cup now with the Word, with prayer, with His presence, so when the shaking comes, glory will spill out of you.

How Can a Shipwreck Become a Platform for Ministry?

Paul's shipwreck led to a three-month stay on Malta. During this time, he prayed for the island leader's sick father, who was healed. This opened the door for many others to come for healing:

"After this happened, the rest of the sick on the island started coming and getting healed. They also heaped honors on us, and when we sailed, they put on board all the supplies we needed." (Acts 28:9-10)

What's remarkable is that Malta wasn't on Paul's itinerary. It was a detour—an unplanned destination. Yet today, Malta is one of the most Christianized nations in the world, with approximately 98% of Maltese people identifying as Christians. They even commemorate "The Feast of St. Paul's Shipwreck" as a national holiday every February 10th.

The detour became destiny. The shipwreck became a setup for revival.

Are You Living on Milk or Meat?

Many Christians desire to go to churches that preach "meat" rather than "milk." But there's an important distinction to understand:

Milk always comes from something someone else consumed to feed you. Meat is something you have to consume yourself.

Hebrews 5:12 says, "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you elementary principles of the actual words of God. And you have come to need milk and not solid food."

Anyone can sip what someone else has prepared, but it takes teeth, discipline, and hunger to tear into meat. Milk is digested revelation. Meat is discovered revelation.

If all you ever do is consume what's poured out on Sunday morning, you'll always be bottle-fed. Something God speaks to you personally will last forever, but something you see on a video might fade away in a week.

How Do I Know If God Is Searching My Heart?

In Psalm 139:23-24, David prays: "Search me, O God, and know my heart. Examine me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any hurtful way in me and lead me in the everlasting way."

The Hebrew word for "search" (chachar) means to search out, examine, investigate, or probe deeply. It's not a surface glance but a digging exploration—like an archaeologist carefully excavating layers until hidden treasures or flaws are revealed.

When David says, "Search me, O God," he's inviting God to dig beneath appearances, beyond masks, past rehearsed prayers, down to the core. He's asking God to excavate him—to dig until He hits bedrock truth.

How can you tell if it's God or the enemy exposing your weakness? Ask yourself:

Is it condemning or correcting?

Does it lead you to Jesus or away from Him?

Does it cause you to hide or run to the throne?

God and the devil both want to cut you open—one to kill you, the other to heal you. The surgery still hurts, but the intentions and outcomes are vastly different.

Life Application

This week, I challenge you to:

Start each day with a search prayer: Wake up and say, "Lord, search my heart and show me where change needs to happen. Show me the good things I need to grow and the things I need to remove."

End each day with thankfulness: Before bed, don't ask for anything—simply thank God for what He did that day.

Fill your cup with the right things: Spend time in God's Word, in prayer, and in His presence so that when life bumps into you, what spills out reflects Him.