Strength for the Storms

It seems these days in DFW it rains everyday. Is this the South Central United States or have we moved to the Northwest? Somedays I feel lost. But we all no that in August we’ll be ever so grateful for the rains we have had in surplus. It’s just that it seems right now the storms will never stop.

Life feels that way sometimes doesn’t it. We wonder, “Will they ever stop?” Mark Twain and a friend walked outside one day in the rain. The friend said, “You think it will stop?” Mark Twain replied, “It always does.”

It’s true about the storms of life too. They never last forever. I am one who sleeps well and often do not even know about storms when they come in the night until the next morning. Jesus slept in storms too. In Gospel of Mark chapter 4 the story is told of Jesus sleeping in the back part of the ship and a storm blew in. The disciples were afraid and woke Him, saying, “Don’t you care that we are about to perish?”

Now, why would they wake Him except because they believed He could do something about the storm? It becomes apparent that was not their expectation at all when after He did still the storm the Bible says, “He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’ They were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!’" Mark 4:39-41 (NIV)

They were afraid in the storm and now they were terrified because Jesus stilled the storm. Tough bunch to please weren’t they! The truth is that Jesus is with us in all the storms of our life.

My friend Richard Exley wrote a book titled “Strength for the Storms.” He’s written many books but this one is at top or at least near the top of my favorites. I think it is because we all have storms no matter who we are. Richard writes in his book, “There are some who believe that God sends the storms in our lives, but I cannot conceive of our loving heavenly Father doing something like that. Perhaps He allows them to come. For certain, He redeems them—that is, He touches them with His Spirit, transforming them into instruments of grace that work for our eternal benefit. Of course this does not make the troubles we suffer painless, but it does give our pain purpose. Now instead of viewing pain as an enemy to be overcome, we see it as an ally.”

The storms blow and we see the damage, but He takes the rain and fills the lakes so that in the drought we have water we need. Jesus redeems our pain and turns it to good. Whatever storm you are in just remember it will stop, it always does and begin to look for the hand of God redeeming your storm.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, give me strength for the storms of life and faith to see Your blessed hand at work making them something blessed and profitable in my life. AMEN.

Blessings!
Pastor Roger