Peace in the midst of the Storm
Imagine yourself in a violent storm out at sea? The waves are monstrous and the boat you are in is rocking perilously! The wind and the waves are whipping the boat around as though it were made out of paper and it takes all of your strength to hold on and keep from being washed overboard! You feel bruised and battered and wonder if you will be able to survive!
The spiritual and mental storms which we have to face at times in our lives can be just as brutal and devastating! They are just as much a reality and can leave us feeling totally helpless and wondering how we can possibly make it through the day! This is when we need someone or something to cling to which can give us reassurance! This is when the only one who can give to us this assurance is our heavenly Father!
There are many things which can create these storms which come into our lives! The death of a loved one, financial disasters, divorce… when the one you thought you could depend on walks out on you, and many other things which can destroy your happiness and your well being!
How sad it is for those who do not have God to turn to! No one to comfort them or give them the assurance they so desperately need! But praise God! He is there waiting for us to call out to Him and run into His arms! The storm may be raging all around us but: He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1
We all find ourselves in the midst of life’s storms at times. The bible tells us that “it rains on the just and the unjust alike”. (Matthew 5:45) However, as obedient Children of God, we are not at the mercy of those storms. We have access to a peace in the midst of the storms, a refuge, a strong tower, a savior, a knowledge that we serve a God that speaks to the wind and calms the seas, but it’s up to us to walk in the power of that knowledge.
Finally, remember that without storms and rains nothing would get watered and nothing would grow. So even though we would like everyday to be perfect beautiful and sunny, sometimes the rain is just plain necessary. While those with shallow roots maybe washed away, those who are rooted deep in God will be watered, nourished, and strengthen by the rains. To help keep your focus on Jesus during those slow moving storms fill your mind, heart, and time with prayer, compassion for others, appreciation to God, all the good things He has done for you, and all the storms He has already brought you through. Remember, “this too will pass.”
(c) A Heart for God ~ Helen Johnson