Think back to the hardest, most difficult time in your life. Your Storm.
Perhaps you’re in that time now. Maybe you haven’t faced an immense difficulty yet. Perhaps it was years ago, or the wind and rain is just beginning to quiet.
When you look back on that storm now, it’s easy to see all the lessons God was teaching you through it, right?
Is it easy to see your mistakes, your triumphs, and His hand in every aspect?
Even if you don’t recognize those things individually, it’s clear that He was holding you in the palm of His hand as your storm threatened to destroy. It’s clear because you made it through.
Because that’s His promise.
It’s clear that He gave you the power to fight through it– the strength, through his Son, to face your storm and emerge on the other side, maybe a little tattered, but filled with His love.
Because that’s His promise.
But what if you, thinking you’d weathered the difficulties of it, had to face that storm all over again? What if, thinking the worst is over, you realize there’s a new storm yet to come? There’s always a storm on the horizon.
It’s coming. You’re in it. You think you might sink. You don’t know if you have the strength to continue. You feel alone, abandoned; like life just isn’t fair and you might have to give up.
Hebrews 10: 23 says, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”
He’s powerful. He brought you through it before, he’ll do it again.
He will always bring you through.
He is faithful.
The Message translation presents that same verse in a way that’s crazy-inspiring.
Hebrews 10:23– “So let’s do it. Full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out. Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word.”
He gives us promises that keep us going. He nourishes us to weather anything, gives us the power to face down any storm and come out stronger on the other side.
Get excited up about that promise! He always keeps his word.
Not sometimes. Not occasionally.
Always.
Don’t you just want to put your hand in God’s, like a team pumped up to play the game of their lives, or a warrior ready to head into battle to meet the enemy head on, and shout with Him, “Let’s do it!”
Share with me: God is the leader, coach and captain of your Storm Fighting Dream Team. Who else would you want on your team with you? The “talent pool” is vast, so choose wisely.
Hale and Hearty Words 
Very challenging, Jen! I have faced storms, though nothing as major as my mom dying. I confess, even though I made it through, I’m terrified of another storm like that one. I know He’ll keep His promise, and I know the storm strengthened me immensely, but I still cower a bit in fear of the next one. Thanks for the reminder to not be afraid.
Lindsay- I can only imagine. Really. I cower in fear, too, when I consider losing someone I love. I think that’s a storm so immense that it seems overwhelming. And yet He’s still there. His grace is enough–His power is greater than ours. And His promises still reign. Sometimes it’s hard to see Him, though, isn’t it? Yet He never leaves us or forsakes us. Such an awesome promise.
Such an encouraging post, Jennifer. I’ve been reading through Hebrews lately.
Who else would I want on my team? My husband. His faith is so strong that it bolsters mine when it wavers. And he knows how to pray … quietly, confidently,expectantly.
I love Hebrews! 🙂
Sounds like your hubby is a must-have on your team. I’d definitely want my guy on my team, too.
I agree that if I step back and look at what I’m a currently going through that I see where God is clearly working in the life of my family, but I went through a “storm” growing up and while God did in fact use the event to allow me to talk to others about him, I do not think God used that time to teach me. I feel he taught me despite the events. God did not want me to go through the events I did (if so I’m not sure I want anything to do with Him) but he was able to speak of his love despite the horrors I saw.
He spoke despite the horrors–He was there. Even if your storm was the result of someone else’s mistakes and choices, He was always with you. So comforting, huh? 🙂
I agree! He never left me and never will, even in the times I felt abandoned.
Beautiful post, Jen! Like Beth, my husband’s on my team, and he’s exactly what I need. 🙂
My “storm troopers” would have to be:
My mom: intercessor, and she had stood by me in most of my personal storms, and reminded me to turn to god
my best friend Adriane:
the both of them remind me of my inner strength, and that I have the power given to me by God to do anything