The storms of life (part 1)
Have you ever wondered why God allows storms in our lives? I don't know about you, but I think I spend half my life in a storm. As much as I may fear them, I know that they are necessary.
I notice that there are two kinds of storms that are regular in my life. There are storms that I create because of my own sin, disobedience and impatience. These are self-made storms. God's not surprised by these and he promises to use them for my good. These too are part of his process (Romans 8:28-30).
There are also those storms that come into my life that I have no control over. I may have a health issue, a finance issue or just normal stuff just swirling around me or my family. Most of these I can't control. These come because God allows them.
I am sure that many of you are dealing with these even today. Are you currently going through a storm in your life? Maybe you had a husband or wife walk out on you. Maybe you had a father who disowned you. You had nothing to do with it, but you are experiencing the consequences of it and the debris that is flying around in your life right now is the result of man-made storms.
We must face the fact that there are storms that we create and storms that God allows in our lives for which we have no control. I don’t want to sound trite, but God is more concerned about what He is doing IN us than TO or WITH us. He knows he has to change us from the inside out. What flows out of us is the result of the work he does in us.
He allows storms in our lives according to our need.
We must realize that God does not want us to live in denial about our storms. In hard times, we like to act holy and spiritual. It’s okay to admit that we are having a hard time and need encouragement. Nor does God want us to live in fear of our storms. I meet people almost daily who are immobilized by fear. That's exactly where Satan wants to keep us.
Rather than living in denial or fear, God wants to give us the power and peace to go through the storms of life. He has a grand purpose for each one of them. Allow the peace of God which transcends all understanding to guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).
Imagine the possibilities!
I notice that there are two kinds of storms that are regular in my life. There are storms that I create because of my own sin, disobedience and impatience. These are self-made storms. God's not surprised by these and he promises to use them for my good. These too are part of his process (Romans 8:28-30).
There are also those storms that come into my life that I have no control over. I may have a health issue, a finance issue or just normal stuff just swirling around me or my family. Most of these I can't control. These come because God allows them.
I am sure that many of you are dealing with these even today. Are you currently going through a storm in your life? Maybe you had a husband or wife walk out on you. Maybe you had a father who disowned you. You had nothing to do with it, but you are experiencing the consequences of it and the debris that is flying around in your life right now is the result of man-made storms.
We must face the fact that there are storms that we create and storms that God allows in our lives for which we have no control. I don’t want to sound trite, but God is more concerned about what He is doing IN us than TO or WITH us. He knows he has to change us from the inside out. What flows out of us is the result of the work he does in us.
He allows storms in our lives according to our need.
We must realize that God does not want us to live in denial about our storms. In hard times, we like to act holy and spiritual. It’s okay to admit that we are having a hard time and need encouragement. Nor does God want us to live in fear of our storms. I meet people almost daily who are immobilized by fear. That's exactly where Satan wants to keep us.
Rather than living in denial or fear, God wants to give us the power and peace to go through the storms of life. He has a grand purpose for each one of them. Allow the peace of God which transcends all understanding to guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).
Imagine the possibilities!
posted by Dr. Dan Erickson | 1:02 PM
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