All of us, at some point in life, will face the storms of life. We don’t all face the same type of storms, but our storms can feel overwhelming for sure.
As I watch Ian, the hurricane, that hit Florida, this week, my heart goes out to them. So many have lost everything normal in their life. Many left yet many stayed to ride out the storm. Many didn’t have any idea that it would be that bad, and the news says hundreds will have lost their life.
I can’t even imagine the ones who stayed and listened to the storm outside as the wind came, the water came, the trees that fell, the windows that were blown out, and all of the businesses where many of their jobs were gone. Can you hear them saying, “What do we do now?” To many everything was taken in a short period.
Job tells us in Job 37:9-13, God is in the storm:
From its chamber comes the whirlwind,
and cold from the scattering winds.
10 By the breath of God ice is given,
and the broad waters are frozen fast.
11 He loads the thick cloud with moisture;
the clouds scatter his lightning.
12 They turn around and around by his guidance,
to accomplish all that he commands them
on the face of the habitable world.
13 Whether for correction or his land
or for love, he causes it to happen.
Don’t blame God for the storms of life. We live in a fallen world, and God said in the end times things would get worse and worse until the return of Jesus. Yet, as I said, I was watching the news and the morons who wanted to blame the storm on global warming, blame Trump for it, and then say that if the “left” was in there that it would not happen. Really? Now they think they are greater than God. I remember that is what happened to the devil…he wanted to be greater than God also. He got kicked out of heaven. No, we live in a fallen world and stuff is going to happen. This is a disaster in Florida and elsewhere and many are suffering greatly not only loss of their homes, but many are suffering and going to suffer from the loss of life as well. This does not mean that God is not there for you.
We, as humans, don’t always understand the cause of the things that go on in our life. However, the Bible tells us a lot. The Bible tells us that in this world we would go through things and in the end times things are going to come more often, stronger, and we don’t want to hear that. We want our life to be back to normal.
Most will never go through the loss that we see going on in Florida and elsewhere right now. I can’t even imagine the pain that they are going through. However, I see that many others are trying to help them. Isn’t that what we should do if we can? We have found out that no one is immune to pain and suffering.
We do not always understand the cause of the storms of life, but they come into everyone’s lives. No one is immune from them and when they hit, they are unexpected. They can be very scary.
Our God is with us during our storms. Maybe you don’t feel like it at the moment because you are hurting. However, God didn’t leave you.
Psalm 23: A psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
2 He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
3 He renews my strength.
He guides me along the right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
4 Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,[a]
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
5 You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
forever.
What about the health issues out there, the financial disasters in so many lives, and the death of a loved one brought on by the storm? What if they can’t find their loved ones? What do they do? How do they take care of what is going on? Where exactly do they go for help?
I can hear many people say that there is no way they will trust God in this situation. They will blame God for not stopping the storm. After all, didn’t He know it would happen? Yes, He did and He has told everyone, through His Bible, that things would get worse and worse before Jesus comes to take His bride/the church home. We don’t, as humans in pain, see God’s perspective from what will happen in the storm. All we feel is devastation and pain.
As I said, most will not go through a physical storm like Ian, but we have our storms in life as well. These storms we endure can feel, to us, as strong as a hurricane in our hearts and lives. We don’t see what God sees, and we don’t always go to the very one who can help us: God! God wants to meet us amid any storm of life we face. We need to continue to pray, seek Him, and spend quiet moments in our Bible.
“When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.” Isaiah 43:2 NLT
“Commit your way to the Lord. Trust in Him, and He will act.” Psalm 37:5 ESV
“I will not cause pain without allowing something new to be born, says the Lord.” Isaiah 66:9 NCV
“He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings, you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” Psalm 91:4 NIV
“My soul finds rest in God alone, my salvation comes from Him, He alone is my rock and my salvation.” Psalm 62:1-2
“For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
Oh, how we hate to go through the storms of life. It hurts! When things are going well in life we, for a time, get complacent and believe all is good. But, again, remember we still live in a fallen world and the devil is out there. The devil lies, deceives, steals, is corrupt, murderers, and everything evil. He wants to destroy us, our family, and all we have and love in life. The devil knows his time is about up so he will do all he can to take more and more people to hell, and wants fewer and fewer people to go to heaven. The truth is we need the storms. As uncomfortable and painful as these seasons are in your life, they grow us and stretch us, and once through them, we can help and love others who are going through like things.
Added note: I have had my share of storms. I’ll only tell you one though here. My son was killed. Oh, my gosh it was overwhelming and painful beyond words. Anyone who has lost a child knows the pain of losing a child. However, even in that, we all grieve differently even over the loss of a child. My heart was ripped out and I didn’t do well at all. Anyone who truly knows me knows it took something from me and I still am not the same even years later. The thing is I also blamed God for God could have saved Him and didn’t. Why? I don’t know why yet, but one day will. I know I had not been a Christian very long at the time of His death. One day, I was planning to end it. I heard a voice say, “I didn’t kill your son!” What? “I didn’t kill your son!” I did have questions but somehow, I knew it was not God who did this. Yes, He allowed it, but He didn’t do it. I had all the questions that others have over the storms in their life as well. I turned on the TV after that and I was watching a minister on there and he said that someone watching lost a child and I want to tell you that God didn’t kill him. My pain was still there, of course, but I didn’t have to blame God. I got into the word much more and let God’s word work in my heart. Nothing takes the pain away from losing the child you love, but I know where my son is. At some point when Jesus either comes for me, during the rapture or when my death date comes, I will see him again and all those gone on before who I also loved. I don’t blame God for my loss. We don’t know what anyone else might have had to go through if they lived. Each of us has a birthday, a dash, and an end date. I do have hope because one day I will see him again.
There have been many, many other storms in my life, and I could write a book about them, but that is my story. You have your own story. I pray that no matter what storm you are facing at this time or that you will, at some time go through…give it to God and allow God to walk through it with you.
Pray for the hurting. Do something to help others as you can. Take all your problems to God, but then be quiet in His presence so He can have His say as well. God wants a relationship with you. I pray that no matter what you are going through… you will feel God’s peace in your heart. God bless you.