STORMS.... Proverbs 31 OBS Blog Hop

STORMS

Last week we had a snow storm.  A beautiful fresh white canvas of snow was given to us.  In this storm it brought beauty, peace, calm, stillness, and smiles.  Lots of smiles.  But not all storms bring beauty.  Not all of our personal storms are beautiful….they aren’t so peaceful…they don’t bring calm and stillness and certainly not smiles.  But even though they don’t bring us this…could they be beneficial to us?

This is our word for the week in Proverbs 31 OBS and I’m taking this in a different direction.

Dictionary.com defines beneficial as: “conferring benefit, advantageous; helpful.”

Is this storm helpful?

 

What I determine to be beneficial may not be what you determine beneficial and I’m betting it’s not what God determines to be beneficial.  I only see what is right in front of me- I can’t see all that God sees.   My seeing is not omniscient.  

My reaction to this storm is to only be faithful to see Him and obey Him in it. This is a very difficult thing to do.  I scream emotions!  I tend to jump right into anger first…then I get sappy…then I sink into fear.  I’m not thinking of anything but how to fix it.

 “Because to thank God in all is to refuse Satan’s relentless lure to be god-like in all.” ~Ann Voskamp

This is not easy.  The grey skies of this storm can consume me and I can get messy.  I can get thrown around.  I can drown in my emotions and fear.  I can destroy a lot.  I can be harmful.  I can hurt with my words because I’m angry.  But…and here’s the BIG BUT!  But in Him…I live!  In Him I will rise.  He can use this storm to resurrect me. I have to look to Him because His love can cast out all my fears.  I have to get my daily portion of Him for my strength.  

Living on the Bread of Life is my power source. It has to be for me to stay above the waves. “Not by my strength but His.” Zechariah 4:6

Sometimes storms are beneficial when they shape me to be more like Jesus.  I don’t like the storms…but looking for Him for my portion is the only way to get through each day of the storm.  It will give me hope and courage to take the next step.  

My pastor spoke about God being our umbrella.  God is my umbrella.  He covers me and everyone He has placed under my umbrella.  I need to trust “The Umbrella.”  

 “Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me…you’ve never failed and you won’t start now.” Oceans – Hillsong United

Trust The Umbrella!