How to Find God In the Storm
When the storms of life hit, where is God? This reflection invites you to find peace in surrender, recognizing that God's presence is steady, even in chaos.
God is with you in the storm. He not only stands with you, The Holy Bible tells us He goes BEFORE you. This is a powerful reminder. Of God's everlasting presence in our lives. It should give us confidence and peace in times of turmoil and struggle, at moments when the storm rages so loud that we can't hear ourselves think. When the fear of what's attacking us is at its peak. Yet in the face of that storm that might destroy us, we lose sight of what's in and around us.
An all knowing, everlasting, powerful, loving, God who promises not to forsake us.
"How is that possible?" You may ask yourself.
"I've been in dozens of storms in my life and each time, the storm changes me. So if I'm put through this horrible storm and come out damaged, how am I not being forsaken?"
Your absolutely correct.
It's true! The storm is going to CHANGE you, you are going to come out different than when you found yourself entering the storm.
Paul writes in the Book of Acts about an intimate moment, where as a captive, aboard a ship heading to Rome, he received a message from an angel of God.
"Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’" (Acts 27:23–24)
SPOILERS!!! Paul is on his way to die, in Rome. The ship will meet a disastrous end. The crew and Paul will end up damaged both physically and mentally from this tragic event.
Yet, all of the lives of those sailing with Paul will be spared. The soldiers who had planned on killing them will have a change of heart due to Paul's message, and Paul will not flee - even when its totally "just" for him to do so after being falsely imprisoned.
Ok that's great, Paul is a hero in the end and choses to accept his fate rather than run or fight it, but I'm not Paul! I'm just an ordinary person, I have a dog and a cat, and a family, and friends, and as much as I love God I can't just give up my life or not worry about losing it.
Yes, we are not all apostles or leaders of the church. Yet the message of the Angel to Paul is still the same, Do NOT be AFRAID!
Your going to make it through this storm, and most likely another, and another after that, and what is the fear going to do for you? It is actually going to cause you to stay quiet, to flee, to skip prayer, to think or do anything that can keep you from facing the outcome of THAT STORM.
Yet God is with you through it, he was there before the Storm even formed, before you got within a thousand feet of it, and he's going to be with you after. Whatever version of you comes out from that rain and gust, that version is going to have GOD standing right beside you. Reminding you that your time in the storm doesn't define you, its the person you are in that storm that does.
I'm terrified of flying. Whenever I get on a plane, I buckle myself in, wipe the sweat from my hands onto my pant legs, and say a prayer to God. I always say the same prayer:
"Father God, thank you so much for this life, thank you for continuing to protect me, thank you for my wife, and our dog Ada, and our cats, and every person I've met along the way. I pray that this plane makes it safely into the sky, that there is no turbulence, and that we make it down to the ground safely, if that is your will. Thank you for your undying love for me, in Jesus name, Amen!"
Am I going to ask God to steer the plane safely? Absolutely. Am I going to hope that my prayer is answered and we land and not crash? Of course. God, wants to hear about your fears, He also wants us to come to him in times of distress. It's in those vulnerable moments much like Paul, where we find God in the storm.
We seek Him in that moment of uncertainty. We give up trying to control the outcome and ask God to take control instead. We ALLOW God to act in our lives in accordance with HIS will, and not our own. In turn, he gives us peace, he gives us comfort, he let's us know he's already gone before us and paved the way safely, and all we had to do was ask.
Finding God in the storm doesn't mean we make it out the same as when we came in, it does not even mean we make it out at all. Paul could have perished in that boat, I could have perished in that plane. Finding God in the storm is about finding peace within ourselves that God is in control. Its about taking the natural inclination of these moments to turn to fear and worry and instead applying the super natural power of God's love and protection, so that we navigate through the storm with full awareness. That we become a version of ourselves internally filled by God with peace, certainty, and acceptance rather than a version externally tormented by fear, uncertainty, and doubt.
That's how I find God in the storm, how about you?
Amen!
