The Storm
Honored to hear from a good friend of mine regarding going through storms in our lives. Please give it a read:
I am writing this now as I stand in the middle of one of the worst storms of my life. I awake every morning knowing that this storm has ever so much more fury to cast upon me and my life and I also know that I am not alone in this. Every day millions are facing a furious storm in their life and for many they do not see a way out of it, being cast hither and thither. How do I possibly survive this?
This world is not an easy place to live and there are some things that can cause disruption and destruction in our lives. (2 Timothy 3:2-5) These are situations we read about every day in the news, violence, shootings, drugs. All destructive forces roaring into peoples lives. I never thought to be involved in the middle of one of these destructive forces and yet here I stand facing another furious storm. No one ever said life would be easy!
Still this time it is different!!!
I lost my wife to cancer four years ago and I felt my life was over. I had no one or nowhere to turn until our Lord and Father showed mercy to me and brought me into His loving embrace. That first storm nearly cost me my life as its raging fury left me nowhere to turn. I was lost and alone and all that I felt was important in life was no longer there. All else was just a material useless item that could bring me no pleasure and even worse, no relief from the pain. Sometimes we must lose everything to realize what is truly of import. Now mind you my reader, in no way do I wish this to befall even one person as this is not an easy storm from which to emerge. I was only able to find my way because My Savior opened His arms and I followed his shining light of hope out of it.
Now the storm is upon me once more and again it is blowing with savage fury, trying once more to rip my life apart. Imagine my shock to find out that my beloved daughter is a heroin addict at 28 years of age. We were not supposed to be in this storm. This was one of those things that happens to other people. I was so naïve, now so full of grief and bursting with tears. My heart is sore!
There is a difference though this time my friends. A huge difference! This time I have the love and comfort of being upheld by the power of His love and grace and that makes ALL the difference in the world. My Savior and His Father stand ever ready to hold onto me, to give me strength, to embrace me as I cry a million tears. So many times in our lives these storms will burst upon us, unbidden and ready to bring us to ruin. We can never be prepared for every one of these for the world has so little to offer and even less support to give. Our God allows these storms to test our faith and resolve knowing that at any point there could come another even fiercer hurricane, tornado, blizzard ever ready to rip us apart. (James 1:12; Galatians 6:9; Hebrews 10:34-35)
So I stand in the middle of the fury only because my Lord and King is bolstering me with His love, grace and strength. Without Him I would be lost! Without my church I would be lost! Without the love and support from my wife and my fellow brothers and sisters at Fellowship, I would be lost! (1 Corinthians 12:24-26) I write this not to ask for pity or sympathy. This is not about just me. This is about all of us. I write this to inspire each and every one to draw close to the Father and His son. “Draw close to God and He will draw close to you.” There is no other way you can stand through any storm without Christ as your Savior, without his grace and his strength. You cannot do this alone. I cannot do this alone. We cannot do this alone. We DON’T have to face this alone!!!!
Could you say this??? Are you keeping close to Christ and his Father? Are you praying incessantly? Are you in His word, soaking up His love and strength? Are you preparing yourself for any storm that will test your faith? Any little trial that tries to disrupt our life can become a raging and furious storm. Are you prepared enough to face that storm, standing firm, relying on Father to guide you through the darkness?