Are you hurting and broken within? Overwhelmed by the weight of your sin? Jesus is calling...
The storms in life are inevitable. The trials will come. But we can be victorious if we choose Christ each time. Sometimes it doesn't feel like victory is in reach. How do you get through your storms? Where do you like to seek help?
Here are some things I've learned through my storm right now and hopefully - when you find yourself in a trial or storm - these can help you too:
1. Sometimes, it's not about making the storm go away, but enduring it until it's over.
Isn't it easier when God can just make the bad things go away? He can though. And sometimes He does. But sometimes he doesn't. Why? Because He's got a reason we need to go through it. Think of it this way: gold needs to be refined. It needs to go through fire before it becomes what we know as the gold we see in beautiful ornaments and jewelry etc. It needs the fire, it needs to burn, to get to the purified solid state. Before that, it's raw. Ever feel that way when you're going through something? Just weak, raw, empty. Our faith is just like that raw piece of ore. Sometimes the trials are needed to burn away the stuff that isn't needed in our lives. Sometimes, the trials make us stronger - more solid in our faith.
James 1: 2-4 says:
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
You're being perfected for heaven. You're on the journey home. Sometimes we forget that this world isn't home. We aren't meant to stay in this broken world forever. Yes there are pains and sorrows. But we look to the day when it will all be over and the pain and sorrows will be gone. We'll be with our saviour. In the meantime, we strive to go deeper and deeper through it all to know Him more. The trials bring us closer to Him. I hope this is making sense. We have to keep are eyes on things eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18)
2. God is always there
If the first point wasn't very encouraging, this one will be. God is always there. He promised this. Deuteronomy 31:6 says,
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."
3. God is good.
The age old question - if God is so good, then why is there so much suffering? The answer, for me, is that we live in this broken world. As I mentioned above, we aren't meant to stay in this state. But we do have to deal with the consequences of living in this broken world. That means we experience pain, and we experience loss. But if we turn to God, he's always there. He has the good stuff that we really need to get through this life - pure love, pure joy and pure peace. We just have to reach out to Him. Jeremiah 29:11 says:
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.
I put a period at the end of the title because, no matter what happens to us, nothing changes the fact that He is good. It's hard to say that when you're going through the tough things. But if we can push through the pain for just a moment to see His goodness, we reach His presence and have the opportunity to receive from Him what we need.
4. We have to rest in Him
Okay, so this idea of rest as a mom is a foreign concept, am I right? BUT - Jesus was a busy guy too. What was he doing in the middle of a storm? Sleeping. That's right. He was fast asleep. You know, when we get into His presence (which you have to set aside some time for) you can truly experience rest. I kid you not. I've always said, but God...I can't find the time with all the stuff I need to get done. (Well, how to make a margin for God is a whole other blog post lol...maybe I'll write that one next!) But when you KNOW that God is good, when you KNOW that God is always there, why can't we just sit back and rest a while to regain our strength? To remember that we're going to get through it all with Him who is our Saviour? Questions to ponder indeed.
Here are some more of the lyrics from the song above:
Oh what a Saviour, Christ is Risen
- this is the power of the One who can save you from the storm.
His arms are opened wide
- He's ready to help you through this. Lean on Him today. He is faithful and stronger than anything you can ever face alone.
Dear Momma, I hope you are encouraged. If you're going through a storm right now, have faith. Think of His words, His promises and His love for you. When we turn our eyes on Him, the things of earth will grow strangely dim. (Anyone know that old tune?)
Bless you!