I wrote this post a couple of years ago.
God recently reminded me of it and I felt a nudge to repost it.
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.
1 comment:
Thank you Sara for posting this. I need to step away from the window right now because there are multiple storms in our life and I feel overwhelmed a lot right now. I know God knows what He's doing and I keep trying to encourage everyone else. But I need to trust Him myself. Thank you for this reminder.
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