It's easy to trust God when things are going well in our lives.
But what about when there is a storm....
..and you can't see how or when it will end?
...and you can't see how it could possibly end well?
..and you pray for God to intervene, but it continues?
..and you are tired, worn out and just want to retreat?
Can you trust Him then?
God tells us over and over in the scriptures who He is:
I AM
the One who created the worlds into order, by a Word
the One who placed the stars and knows them by name
the One who knit you together in your mother's womb
the Beginning and the End
How could I not trust that He is able to take care of the storms in my little life?
Yet my human heart will time after time turn my eyes from Him to the storm....which causes fear......which causes me to doubt, panic, take things into my own hands, become anxious...
....and that never works out well for me.
As I have matured, I feel like I am doing a better job of keeping my eyes on Him.....I am spending time with Him in prayer, studying the scriptures daily, bringing my thoughts to Him during the day through music and reminders...
These are all very good things.
They bring a sense of Peace and insight and direction
...but in a storm....it's not enough.
He wants me to trust Him....completely.....with my whole heart.
Which should be reflected by a calmness in my life, even in the middle of a storm.
Recently, He gave me a clear illustration of how this looks.
I am a visual learner and I love that He knows me so well!!
Easter Sunday I awoke to a very dark, stormy day. We were having 11 people for lunch at 2:00, so I got busy preparing food before I had to leave for church. The whole time it is just thundering and storming like crazy and Lily (our dog) was following me everywhere I went, right on my heels. So fearful of the storm. I had some time to spare and sat down on the couch and Lily jumped up on the sofa and stood over my lap. I tried to get her to lay down and let me hug her to calm her but she kept getting up and going to the other side and looking out the window at the storm. Then she would freak out a bit and come back and stand over my lap. I quit trying to make her lie down and just let her continue to go look out at the storm and then come back.
She knew I was her comfort, but she was so fearful seeing and hearing the storm, she wouldn't allow me to comfort her. Even though I knew the storm would end soon....Lily didn't ....and that made her fearful and anxious.
But what about when there is a storm....
..and you can't see how or when it will end?
...and you can't see how it could possibly end well?
..and you pray for God to intervene, but it continues?
..and you are tired, worn out and just want to retreat?
Can you trust Him then?
God tells us over and over in the scriptures who He is:
I AM
the One who created the worlds into order, by a Word
the One who placed the stars and knows them by name
the One who knit you together in your mother's womb
the Beginning and the End
How could I not trust that He is able to take care of the storms in my little life?
Yet my human heart will time after time turn my eyes from Him to the storm....which causes fear......which causes me to doubt, panic, take things into my own hands, become anxious...
....and that never works out well for me.
As I have matured, I feel like I am doing a better job of keeping my eyes on Him.....I am spending time with Him in prayer, studying the scriptures daily, bringing my thoughts to Him during the day through music and reminders...
These are all very good things.
They bring a sense of Peace and insight and direction
...but in a storm....it's not enough.
He wants me to trust Him....completely.....with my whole heart.
Which should be reflected by a calmness in my life, even in the middle of a storm.
Recently, He gave me a clear illustration of how this looks.
I am a visual learner and I love that He knows me so well!!
Easter Sunday I awoke to a very dark, stormy day. We were having 11 people for lunch at 2:00, so I got busy preparing food before I had to leave for church. The whole time it is just thundering and storming like crazy and Lily (our dog) was following me everywhere I went, right on my heels. So fearful of the storm. I had some time to spare and sat down on the couch and Lily jumped up on the sofa and stood over my lap. I tried to get her to lay down and let me hug her to calm her but she kept getting up and going to the other side and looking out the window at the storm. Then she would freak out a bit and come back and stand over my lap. I quit trying to make her lie down and just let her continue to go look out at the storm and then come back.
She knew I was her comfort, but she was so fearful seeing and hearing the storm, she wouldn't allow me to comfort her. Even though I knew the storm would end soon....Lily didn't ....and that made her fearful and anxious.
As I sat there, God just spoke right to my heart.......He said,
"you are just like Lily, Sara. You stay
close by Me in the storms. You know where your comfort is.
You are even in My lap at times. But you continue to leave My lap and
go look at the storm. Just trust Me. Stay in my lap and let Me comfort
you. I know this will end soon, even though you can't see it. I am in control of it. I know what is best for you. Quit going to the window to look at
the storm"
He's right.
Going to the window, just scares me or makes me angry or anxious.
He's right.
Going to the window, just scares me or makes me angry or anxious.
So I am making a conscious effort to step away from the window in the midst of my storms....
...and trust HIM.
He is more than able.
8 comments:
Beautiful perspective.
This morning I read Job 19:25, such a strong expression of trust. Then I read the context (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+19&version=HCSB). Wow! The entire chapter is a continuous dark storm/s!
So true. Why do we (I) do this? We know the safest and best place to be is in His arms.
Thank you. I needed to hear this too.
I had tears....
beautifull written
Wow. Good stuff. I gotta quit looking out the window.
Today I woke up anxious, but although I have prayed through a bit of it, the what ifs keep returning. Quit looking out the window, quit looking out the window...
amen & amen...and His arm is not too short ;)
Amen. What a profound post.
So true! Love this word picture of how we make ourselves anxious NEEDLESSLY. So thankful we can sit in His lap!
Wow, somehow I missed this post earlier. Profound illustration - plan to share it with my Thursday Night Ladies tonight!
By the way, I LOVE YOUR HAIR! It is such a great look on you!
Love ya,
Steph
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