Storms in our Lives

 

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and

forever. Hebrews 13:8

 

“Oh, it’s not cloudy out,” I said, sitting at my computer one morning. It was quite overcast when I’d gone outside just a few minutes earlier.

The forecast I’d just read confirmed that it would be cloudy for the next three days with rain likely. But as I sat at my desk scanning the headlines, I looked through the blinds and saw the sunlight on the trees.

 A few minutes later it disappeared.

I recognized the parallel to my life. I had assumed the weather would be stormy based on evidence I’d seen and what had been predicted. Yet, a different story lay outside a few minutes later. Then it changed again.

Life is like that. Circumstances can lead us to believe one thing; when then they change, we change our minds. My emotions can be fickle too. If someone compliments me, it makes me feel good. If I’m criticized and/or given feedback I don’t like, I may take it personally and believe I’m a failure. Or my health can change for the worse. Sometimes life feels unfair.  So how do we know what to think if we don’t know what’s true and what’s not? We have to focus on what’s stable, what never changes. One of those things is God’s love and faithfulness to us. No matter what happens in life, God remains the same.

What do find to be stable in your life? Who or what can you count on when things in your life are in flux?  I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Photos courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

In the midst of the storm

Life can pull us in many different directions. It’s not just physically, when we need to be in two places at once, but emotionally too. I find the latter much more difficult.

There are many times when our lives are going well. There’s money in the bank, our health is good, and we have friends we can rely on. We enjoy it.

If we remember to, we thank God for these blessings, recognizing He’s provided them for us. But when something happens that changes our lives we’re left wondering why and what to do next.

It could be anything—job loss, health issues, death of a loved one, or any host of other circumstances. What do we do then?

I’ve found I have to hold on to what never changes in this world and that there are three things that meet that criteria: God, God’s Word, and God’s promises. We’re going to take a look at these over the next several weeks. I’d love to hear your feedback in the process.

First, God is love. Everything He does is done out of love for us. Sometimes I find that hard to believe, especially when life doesn’t go the way it should. Or when senseless things happen. Often God doesn’t answer our “why” questions. Sometimes we have to wait. I’ve had to wait for an answer to that question for months in the past, regarding my health. It frustrated me, but I spoke to Him more in that time than usual. Perhaps that was part of the point?  Maybe.

Now it’s your turn. What have you been through when you questioned God? How did you make it through? Share your experience here. Someone will benefit from it.

 God Directs Us

 

 

Life can pull us in all different directions, not just physically, when we need to be in two places at once, but emotionally too. I find the latter is much more difficult. There are many times when our lives are going well. There’s money in the bank, our health is good, and we have friends we can rely on. We enjoy it and, if we remember to, we thank God for them, recognizing He’s provided them for us.

But when something happens that changes our lives, we’re often left wondering why and what to do next. It could be anything—job loss, health issues, death of a loved one, or any host of other circumstances.  What do we do then?

I’ve found we have to hold on to what never changes in this world and that there are three things that meet that criteria: God, God’s Word, and God’s promises.  We’re going to take a look at these over the next several weeks. I’d love to hear your feedback in the process.

First, God is love.  So everything He does is done out of love for us.  Sometimes I find that hard to believe, especially  when life doesn’t go the way it should. When senseless things like someone dying far too young.  Often God doesn’t answer our “why questions.”  Sometimes we have to wait, for a variety of reasons.  I’ve had to wait for an answer to that question for months in the past, regarding my health.  It frustrated me, but I spoke to Him more in that time than usual. Perhaps that was part of the point?   Maybe. 

Now it’s your turn. What have you been through when you questioned God?  How did you make it through?  Share your experience here. Someone will benefit from it.

 

image courtesy of www.freeditigalphotos.net