STORMS

Tempests, hurricanes, gales, tornadoes, snowstorms, downpours, outbreaks, eruptions, flareups, outbursts, fumes, waves, explosions

It’s Winter right now.  I don’t know where you live, but wherever that is, no doubt you’ll experience various degrees of a storm.  In Canada it may be a snow storm, in Arizona, it may be a hot sand storm.  There are all kinds of storms in our world.  But in this post, I’m referring to an “inner storm.”  Issues and difficulties that enter the hemisphere of our lives where we can be tempted to fear and lose our sense of awareness that God knows, cares and is in sovereign control (in complete control) over.  Psalm 103: 19 “The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty (kingdom) rules over all.”

Early this week, a storm-like event took place in my world.  It wasn’t earth-shattering, but I felt the winds blow into my personal path of living.  How critical it is, if we belong to the Lord Jesus, to be in His Word every day, because we never know when the sentence or paragraph we read will come alongside us to strengthen us for what we’re facing or about to face.

Let’s not forget that our relationship with Jesus

 is “saturated with His grace.”

My tiny storm was an “emotional storm,” not a hurricane, but suffice to say that it was uncomfortable.  As I read from a devotional book, the topic was about storms.  At the end of the article, a sentence seemed to spell out truth I needed to embrace.  It was this:

God makes a pathway in our storms.

Storms are to me, situations we don’t like to face and walk through.  Am I alone here?  They are times and events that bring us to live in the sometimes awkward, painful or definitely “out of our comfort zone.” 

But if we belong to Jesus, He promises to walk “in and through” the storm with us.  He has purposes and plans for each of us that will be worked out in and all through the storm.  And He promises His grace and care all along the way and for however time in His purpose.   Whatever the storm event, tiny or tremendous, it’s all known to Him, and He yearns that we run to Him with it.

Again and again, I’ve been reminded and encouraged to allow God to work out His will and purpose in all of our events (regardless of how small or significant).

It’s looking through the lens of God’s Word, God’s will and God’s ways.

On day one of my little storm, I happen to be in the book of Psalms where it was referring the to Israelites and their journey out of their bondage in Egypt.  God was in the process of bringing them out of Egypt…..yet in the storm-events along the way, they didn’t believe Him or trust Him.

We can read in our Bible their entire events summed up, and see the final wrap up of their exit from Egypt.  We can often think to ourselves, why wouldn’t they trust Him…..He’s done so many miracles to prove His care and power.

Here are some of the verses that leapt off the page in my reading.

Psalm 77:14 “You are the God Who does wonders.”

Psalm 78:7 “That they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God.”

Psalm 78:11 “And forgot His works.”

Psalm 78:14 “In the daytime He also led them with the cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.”  He led them in a way they would know His presence.

Psalm 78:32 “And did not believe in His wondrous works.”

Psalm 78:36 -37 “Nevertheless, they flattered Him with their mouth, and they lied to Him with their tongue…for their heart was not steadfast (unwavering, faithful, loyal, devoted, constant, determined, unflinching) with Him.”

Psalm 78:41-42 “Yes, again and again they tempted God and limited the Holy One of Israel. They did not remember His power.”

After these verses, I was deeply convicted by my attitude.  This morning’s read brought a new perspective on what was before me; and alongside that, a new attitude began to emerge.  It isn’t important what my storm was, but I was in need of an “attitude adjustment.” 

Whatever you may be facing or what you are in the middle of….my prayer is that your heart and mind would be refreshed by His Word and His personal presence with you. He will work in and through our “storms” to show us His love and attentive care, and help our faith in Him to trust and to grow.

I think we can often be critical of the Israelites for not trusting God.  But all we need to do is have a “good glance” into our “own lives of our walk with Jesus,” to see that we too, many many times, doubt His ability, power, love and grace to meet our every need. 

As God works in our lives while we’re here on earth, He is helping us not only to look more like His Son in our behavior, thought-life, speech, but in what He walks us to and through is to help us “learn to lean and trust Him” daily.

A pastor friend of mine shared this phrase about learning to walk and trust Jesus with our “everyday situations.”  It’s a revealing statement for sure.  May we live up to these words more and more in our own faith-walk.

WE WILL ACT & LIVE ON WHAT WE REALLY BELIEVE