We all go through hard times. Every single one of us. Every now and then, everyone has a difficult day. We simply can’t seem to overcome a roadblock in our way.
And sometimes the hard times last longer than a day–maybe a week or month and some struggle for even longer. It is in the storms where we grow, where we become stronger and better able to deal with the next storm of life.
If you wait for everything to be perfect before you have peace, you’ll be waiting your whole life. God never promised to keep us from difficulties. He didn’t say we wouldn’t have storms, but He did say He would give us peace in the midst of the storm.
As we are going through the storm, we may question God and His purpose for putting us through such a terrible time. You need to pause and keep in mind that no two storms are the same. Storms don’t always arrive to ruin your plans; some come to clear the way.
When the storms come, if you’ve got your house built upon the rock, if you’ve got an unshakeable confidence in God, if you know the Lord as your shepherd, the storms will come, but you will not be defeated.
God never tells us to pray that we’ll never have problems. He tells us to pray that when we have them, we will be steady in the storm.
There are also storms that we go through that are emotional and spiritual in nature. Our path forward is often blocked more in this kind of storm than in a physical storm that has blown trees down across our road.
Because in this kind of storm, your heart and soul are going through a storm. Your heart and soul are struggling to get through pain, to move forward, to get past something, to let something go.
Remember that all emotional and spiritual storms aren’t sent to disrupt your life. More often than not, these storms are sent to clear your path.
Sometimes we are unable to notice what is impeding our progress. You may be in a relationship that isn’t very healthy for you. You can be stuck in a position where you can’t advance. You might lose your job there. You might believe that the storm you are in is hurting you.
But the storm is creating another opportunity for you to have a better job, better money, a better future for you and your family. Next time you are going through a storm, step back and examine it. It may be there to clear your path.
We can’t get away from the storms of life, but we can respond by saying, “God, You are merciful, and You are good. And I am going to put my confidence in You until this storm passes over.”
Sending you blessings of love, prayer, and gratitude from Sterrett, Alabama!
