Calm in the Storm

This past week the area that I live in went through a long and large storm. It involved days of rain and wind that caused some ares of flooding and downed trees. We live close to the Gulf and saw many pictures of the beach and waves. It is amazing how the waves crash in higher and farther up the beach. What can look calm and clear one day can be wild and dangerous the next.

A storm can be exciting to watch if you know that you are safely inside and no harm will come to you. But a storm can also be terrifying. It all depends on your location. This is all in regards to the weather but I can't help but compare this also to "storms" in our lives, situations that take place and you aren't sure you know what to do. It may be a little storm with a small upset that unsettles you. Or it may be a hurricane that totally rocks your foundation and brings some huge waves. I think of the song that says sometimes God doesn't calm the storm but He calms His child. I think that is one of the hardest things to wrap my mind around. Humanly speaking, I am selfish. I don't want to go through sadness, upsets, disappointments, anger, or grief. I want God to take it for me, but He doesn't always do that. He works through these situations to glorify Himself and to bring us closer to Him. 

Job 23:10:

   "But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold."

As long as we live on earth, where sin reigns, then we will go through storms. I remember my pastor once saying, "Most Christians are either going through a trial, have just come out of one or are just going into one."

How we react to them tells a lot about our relationship with God.

Psalm 37:7  

"Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him"

Sometimes all we need to do is just wait and rest in Him. Waiting and Resting-two difficult things for most of us to do. I am the type of person that wants to fix it. I want to be working on it-doing something. But there are times that I should just sit still, learn patience, and listen for God to speak to me. There are other times that God will bring someone into my life during a low or difficult time that will be able to encourage me or help me see the correct perspective.

Zephaniah 3:17 

"The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing."

The God of creation is all powerful and never allows anything to happen to His children that He will not be there to help you through one day at a time. He can stop the storm. He is always in control and watches over us with love.

Luke 8:24-25

"And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. 

And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him." 

How will you react to the next storm that enters into your life? Allow Him to be the calm in your storm.