Can We Trust During the Storm?
We have two options — hang on or blow away
I pleaded with the Lord three times for it to leave me alone. He said to me, “My grace is enough for you, because power is made perfect in weakness.” So I’ll gladly spend my time bragging about my weaknesses so that Christ’s power can rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:8–9, CEB)
My daughter had years and years of severely stressful issues. I prayed for her constantly and had others join me in this endeavor. Sometimes there was only a slight reprieve before another issue would strike again. God would answer some of my prayers, but it seemed like a new problem would follow just as soon as we successfully crossed one hurdle.
I went to my prayer closet, got on my knees, and thanked God in obedience, but my heart did not always feel grateful. God knew it. He also knew the safest place was leaning on Him through every storm.
During one awful period with my daughter, I sat on my back porch, unable to speak. I was numb with pain. Then the rain began to fall, representing the absent tears filling my heart.
Soon the wind increased until the trees swayed and bent, looking as if they would snap in half. The rains then came in torrents. I sat in awe of the storm. I felt safe on my porch, even though I knew a branch could easily penetrate that screen or lightning could hit right there in my space. I just sat there in peaceful serenity, listening and enjoying the turbulent weather as it mimicked the tumultuous pain in my heart.
The Bible tells us that Paul begged the Lord three times to take away His problem. We don’t know what his physical issue was, but I’m sure Paul did not reach his calming conclusion immediately. That’s why he prayed several times.
Paul eventually realized that God’s grace was sufficient and that God could use Paul more efficiently with his problem than without it. Paul’s peace came when he submitted to God’s will.
I have also pled with the Lord for many years to help my daughter. Watching your child suffer is much greater than any physical pain I could have had.
We have hurricanes where I live. After one of these storms, everything is a mess with the debris of house shingles, tree branches, trash, and much more strewn around in out-of-ordinary places. How could I trust that God had everything under control even when everything was so desperately ugly?
I needed peaceful serenity for my daughter, me, and my family.
After throwing my hands in the air in surrender to God, I astonishingly yet bewilderingly felt a release. Nothing had changed, but my outlook had. Like Paul, I had to realize that God’s grace is sufficient and that He may not solve the issue, but He certainly could bring us peace.
It all came down to trust.
Did I trust the Lord completely? Did I know that:
All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose? (Romans 8:28)
Did I feel safe in God’s care, just like I did on my back porch when the storm was fierce?
Are you dealing with a raging storm in your life? Do you feel as if God has deserted you? We all have two choices during these difficult times: hold on to God, giving Him our fear, pain, and worry, or let go of our trust and drown in the anxiety, pain, and stress.
Thank God even when you don’t feel it. Trust God even when your hope is on its last leg. Anything less would be like letting your spirit blow apart in the winds of destruction.
You may feel like you are hanging on to a thread, but that is only an unreliable emotion. The reality is; God has you, safely and tightly snuggled, in His arms. He will not let you go because you belong to Him.
