Peace In The Storm
In my experience, peace doesn't mean there isn't a storm, but rather that God is with you in the middle of it. He walks with you through it, helping you navigate your way to the other side.
God has been there with me through so many of life's storms. He's helped me make the right decisions when I've needed His guidance, often at just the right time. Timing is everything when making your way through a storm, and I love how, just when I've needed it most, I've felt God's hand at work in the storms of my life.
Just knowing He's there makes all the difference. I know there have been times when I've looked to others for help, and when all else failed, I turned to Him. Learning to look to Him first can be challenging. It certainly was for me. It took quite some time for me to get to a place where I looked to Him first before looking to everyone else for help.
One thing I've learned is that we don't always get to choose when the storms come or how long they last. We don't always understand why we're going through them or what God is doing in the middle of them. But we can choose where we place our trust. Having faith doesn't mean we won't have questions, worries, or difficult days. It means knowing that even when we can't see the way forward, God does. We can find peace in knowing we're not navigating life's storms alone.
I'm always learning and growing in this faith walk with my Lord. He knows how deep my love is for Him, and I know that is why He is so incredibly patient with me. He is far more patient than I deserve. If I got what I deserved, I'd be drowning in the storms of life instead of still standing on the other side of them.
There have been so many storms in my life, too many to count, and through every single one, God has been there for me. He's guided me, carried me, taught me, and helped me make it through to the other side. I'm so thankful that even in the moments when I didn't know what to do or where to turn, He never left my side.
John 16:33 (NIV) reminds us:
"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
What a wonderful reminder that Jesus never promised us a life without storms. But He did give us a reason to have hope and peace in the middle of them. No matter what we're facing, we can stand firm in knowing that He is greater than anything this world can bring our way.
The storms of life may shake us, challenge us, and sometimes bring us to our knees, but they don't have to take away our peace. When our peace is rooted in God, we can face the storms knowing that He is right there with us.
That's what finding peace in the storm means to me.
