In the Storm

All around me, it seems like so many people are hurting. This isn't too unusual. It's just the way life is sometimes. We can go for several weeks or months when everyone around us seems to be doing just fine. But then, BOOM! All of a sudden, everything seems to be going wrong for so many people we know.

Right now, I know several people who are fighting cancer, and several more who have been hospitalized with rare and not-so-rare maladies. Some have broken bones that are healing--slowly. Many people in my area have hail-damaged cars and homes, or even whole fields--and livelihoods--destroyed by hail or drought, or both. Not too far away, ranchers are struggling to recover from devastating wildfires. Babies have been born with birth defects. Children and young adults have been killed in car accidents. 

When disaster strikes, platitudes are inevitable. "God won't give you more than you can handle,"  and "A loving God would never let such a thing happen."

Except, it's oh, so obvious that God often gives us more than we can handle. However, he never gives us more than he can handle. And, sometimes, or even often, he allows awful things to happen just because he loves us so much that he will allow whatever it takes to get our attention, and teach us to trust in him even when the unthinkable happens. Above all else, God loves each of us, and wants every one of us to know him and trust in him completely. That doesn't happen as easily when we have everything we could ever want or need. 

Pastor and author, Greg Laurie, has this to say: "When hardship, disappointment, or tragedy comes, our first instinct is often to ask God to remove us from it. But God frequently does his greatest work in the storm, not by taking us out of it...If you're following Christ, don't be surprised by opposition. Expect obstacles. Expect Spiritual resistance. We have an enemy who wants to discourage and distract us. But remember this: If God has called you, he will also sustain you."

God never promised that our lives would be easy. In fact, Jesus said this, in John 16:33: In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. He never promised our lives would be free from worry, hardship, or pain, but he did promise that he will never leave us or forsake us. As it says in Deuteronomy 31:8: The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.

An umbrella cannot stop the rain, but it allows us to stand in the rain.

Faith in God may not remove our trials, but it gives us strength to overcome them.

And when the storm is over, we can look and see what wonderful things God has done.