Storms

Why did this happen to me??!!

Ever uttered (or screamed) those words? Sure you have!!! All of us have experienced those times in our lives when bad things happen. I call them "life storms" and they hit us all. Sometimes with just a few showers and sometimes with full force wind, lightning, hail, thunder, the works!

I used to wonder why as have all of us. I mean, why would God allow such a thing to happen to such a great person as me!!!???? Am I right???

The truth is, I am not a great person. I am a work in progress. I need to grow (not physically). And in order for me to grow, I need to be tested. I need the storms. The storms allow me to more fully rely on God and brings me into the spiritual maturity He desires for my life!!

As I ponder on this situation, 2 passages of scripture come to mind:

James 1:2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. (NLT)

and


Hebrews 13: 5b .....be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you;    never will I forsake you.” (NIV)

While thinking about all of this, I realized the following:

God never promised to take the storms away, but He did promise to ride through them with you!

When these storms hit us, God is there. No matter how severe, He is there. We can ride out any storm life throws our way with the knowledge that our Creator is riding the same storm with us! Not wanting anything to harm us, but now that in the end, we will be mature, complete. What an awesome promise!!






The next time a "life storm" comes your way, reach out your hand and let God guide you through it. This might take many forms. Perhaps it is alone time with just you and God. Perhaps God will choose to send a friend to ride the storm with you as well. Maybe God wants you to rely on your church family who loves you and cares about you. However God chooses to help you through the storm, his promise to never leave or forsake is an amazing display of His desire to have an intimate relationship with YOU!

I close with the words of an awesome hymn, it tells us exactly what God wants to hear from us during our life storms.

In the dark of the midnight have I oft hid my face,
While the storm howls above me, and there's no hiding place.
'Mid the crash of the thunder, Precious Lord, hear my cry,
Keep me safe till the storm passes by.

Till the storm passes over, till the thunder sounds no more,
Till the clouds roll forever from the sky;
Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand,
Keep me safe till the storm passes by.

When the long night has ended and the storms come no more,
Let me stand in Thy presence on the bright peaceful shore;
In that land where the tempest, never comes, Lord, may I
Dwell with Thee when the storm passes by.

Till the storm passes over, till the thunder sounds no more,
Till the clouds roll forever from the sky;
Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand,
Keep me safe till the storm passes by.

God bless you and keep you safe, til the storm passes by!