Storms of Life
Storms of Life
“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. “
Isaiah 26:3 (NIV)
The storms of life can be so brutal. Some are minor, but some are so major that they seem to just rip your soul out of your body as they simultaneously knock you to the ground. I know because I have experienced both.
If you are like me, I am sure that when you are going through a rough patch in life, you wish that you never had to go through such trials and tribulations. You just kind of want for everything to be perfect…you know seamless sailing on this journey called life.
So many things happen in life and it is natural, at least I think it is, to question why. Why this or why that? I’m not exempt, I do it too.
I know in the midst of my flowing tears and breaking heart, I start to wonder just where is God in all of this. Is He there? Does He see me? Does He care?
The Good News is that God IS there. He is right there loving me, watching me and just caring for me. He is waiting for me to take my mind off of my problem and focus instead on Him. Once I do that I can feel Him speaking to me, reassuring me, loving me as He reminds me to start focusing on His promises to me that are contained in His Word.
Isaiah 26:3 is one such promise. He promises me, all of us, PEACE. God is Peace. One of His Names is Jehovah Shalom, which means the Lord is Peace.
God loves us so much that He infuses peace into our very being and it is the most intoxicating, exhilarating feeling. How cool is that?
When we allow God’s peace to enter our lives, we are no longer beholden to our problem. So, it doesn’t have control over us anymore. Instead, we have taken our hands off of it and trust that God will work all things together for our good (Romans 8:28) and that whatever He decides as the solution to our problem is the best course possible.
I get excited just thinking about that because I have realized that you can’t have both chaos and peace operating in your life; and, simply, I don’t want to. I know that for me I chose peace. I’d rather have peace in all areas, in all situations in my life. It doesn’t mean that I am exempt from struggles or that I will never have another body blow problem. It just means that when I do, I hold extra tight to God’s promise of peace for my life. I claim it and I live it. I hope you will too.
Loving Father, I can’t thank You enough for Your precious gift of peace. Thank You that You love me so much to give it freely and abundantly. May I always, in all things, hold tight to this gift. In Jesus’ Name, I pray. Amen.
-Nina Fortson