3 Things To Do When Storms Hit
10/12/2018 ..
Everyone knew it. The storm was out there. What no one, not even the experts, could predict was how quickly Hurricane Michael grew into an enormous monster that recently hit the southeastern United States more rapidly and powerfully than expected.
The storms in our lives are similar. Every life is filled with squalls. We know they are out there; we know they are coming. When they hit, we are often unprepared by their ferocious behavior and rapid intensification. What we thought might blow over suddenly turns into a moment when we think things won’t work out.
How do we live in the hardest part of our lives? How do we have hope in the moment when all seems lost? Because as Christians, we have divine hope: a confident expectation based on who God is, what God has done and what God will do in our lives. Sometimes the storms in our lives cause us to develop spiritual amnesia. We forget who God is and transition to human wishful thinking.
Remember, anyone living in a discouraging situation can have divine hope. Here are three ways to keep your eyes centered on God when a destructive storm hits.
1. Read the book. Saturate your soul with the truth of God. The hardest times require delving into the Bible to learn how God sees you in the midst of your suffering. He has tender compassion for your situation. Psalm 25: 5 teaches us: “Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are my God and Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” Whether you are in a hard place or a confident place, enveloping the truth of God through Bible study helps discover God on a whole new level and in a more intimate way.
2. Remind your soul. In the midst of a storm, we often turn to negative self-talk. We remind ourselves of our inferiority, insecurities and inadequacies. As an alternative, we need to change the script. Instead of sabotaging our success, speaking words of victory produces changes in our souls. “I am a fighter. I can do this with God’s help,” reminds us God has already done much in our lives and will continue to do so. Psalm 43:5 instructs us to put our hope in God even when our souls are downcast. Stress comes when we allow the many voices in life – including our own – to drown out the only voice the really matters: God’s.
3. Surround yourself with friends who know the truth. Storms have many fronts: emotional, social, relational and financial. While you and I have access to God’s power, we can also partner with believers to win our battles and achieve great things. When storms arrive, we all need reliable friends who support us and are willing to do battle on our behalf by hitting their knees to pray. Psalm 145:18 tells us “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” It is essential to surround ourselves with godly friends who will actively listen, hold us if necessary and always lift us up in prayer.
Storms can easily topple lives. Living in the divine hope that Jesus loves you – completely and eternally – makes you able to withstand a much greater battering without losing your footing. The more certain you are of His unconditional love for you, the greater your ability to withstand the chaos of this world.
If you are looking for a place to pray for others, or receive prayer please come check out our Saddleback Women Pray meeting. It’s on the second Tuesday of every month. We are committed to praying for the leadership of Saddleback Women, our church, the global church, and the whole world.
For more information contact: Carol Pecaitis carolp@saddlebackvolunteer.com