Category: Trust

I sat along the shore of the little island we were visiting and watched the evening sky. I had been looking forward to seeing the sun set over the ocean, but there were too many clouds to the west. A small opening teased me by allowing me to see just a sliver of the beautiful colors on the other side. I was disappointed but was enjoying the quiet and peaceful evening anyhow.

As evening fell, bolts of lightening lit up the dark clouds that had been blocking my view. I amused myself by trying to catch the flashes of lightening with my camera. My daughter-in-law soon joined me with her camera as well. We were clicking away, focused intently on the storm when I heard my son down the shoreline, “Wow! Isn’t this beautiful? Isn’t God amazing?” I peeked away from my camera and saw him standing on the dock and watching in awe as the sky lit up in the distance.

His words surprised me. I had never thought of lightening as being beautiful, but in this moment, I realized he was right.

I have come a long way. Though there are still times when I do get scared by a storm, there was a time when I was absolutely terrified anytime a storm was in the forecast.

Despite all the modern knowledge and technology, we are unable to control impending storms. All we are able to do is prepare for them and ride them out.

In chapter 4:35-41 of Mark, Jesus instructed his disciples to get into a boat with Him to cross the Sea of Galilee. On the way to the other side, a terrible storm arose, and the waves were so high that the boat began filling up with water. Luke’s account of the story says they were in “great danger.”

Jesus was fast asleep, so the disciples woke him up, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”

Jesus woke up and said to the waves, “Peace! Be still!” The wind stopped, and all was calm.

Then He asked His disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”

“And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’” (Mark 4:41 ESV)

The disciples recognized that when Jesus calmed the storm, He had done something that only God can do. The One who spoke everything into existence is also able to speak authority over all of creation. God has ultimate control over everything and He was right there with them!!!

Even as a follower of Christ, we will encounter storms. Jesus says in John 16:33, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Storms can take us by surprise. We might find ourselves facing a bad report from the doctor, loss of a loved one, job termination, natural disaster, an accident, crime, persecution, evil…. Sometimes in our storm, it may seem that Jesus is silent or that He doesn’t care. But He does care. The Creator of the Universe, the God who fed the multitude, healed the sick, raised the dead, calmed the sea, died in our place and rose from the dead is right here with us!

While the enemy wants us to be scared and question whether Jesus cares, Jesus wants us to trust and have peace in Him. No matter how dark and scary it may get, Jesus is still in control through these faith-testing storms and He cares.

Jesus has the power to calm every storm, but sometimes, for reasons that we may not understand, He does not calm our storm on this side of heaven. However, when we put our faith in Him, we can be assured that He is always with us and will see us through whatever storms come until He takes us home to heaven with Him forever. We can trust the words of Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” and we can trust that Jesus is with us.

Hold on to the hope in Revelation 21:4 that one day, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Until then, He is with us here through the storms that arise, and He does care. Peace! Be still!

Do you know someone who needs a reminder that Jesus is with them? Share the good news today! Give them a call, go visit them, share this blog post or send a card or matted print from Every Season Creations (etsy.com/shop/everyseasoncreations).

“How long, O LORD, must I call for help? But you do not listen. ‘Violence is everywhere!’ I cry, but you do not come to save” (Habakkuk 1:2 NLT).

Habakkuk saw destruction, violence and evil all around. Yet God seemed silent.

God replied to Habakkuk’s complaint, “Look around at the nations; look and be amazed! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it.” He went on to explain that he was raising up the Babylonians to punish the evildoers.

Habakkuk acknowledged that God is Holy and eternal and had faith that God would not destroy all of his people. Yet, he didn’t understand why God would punish his people through a nation, that was in his eyes, even more evil than them.

God again answered Habakkuk, “This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God” (Habakkuk 2:3-4). He went on to explain that a time of judgment would come for Babylon as well.

Habakkuk responds with a beautiful prayer of praise. He asks for God’s mercy as he waits for what lies ahead. He knows that even though things were going to get worse before they got better, God is in control and that God is his salvation. He ends with these words, “I trembled inside when I heard this; my lips quivered with fear. My legs gave way beneath me, and I shook in terror. I will wait quietly for the coming day when disaster will strike the people who invade us. Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign LORD is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread up on the heights” (Habakkuk 3:16-19 NLT).

Reading Habakkuk’s opening words, “How long, O LORD, must I cry for help, but you do not listen?” and ending words, “Even though… yet I will rejoice in the LORD!” brought such comfort and hope to my heart. I thought about all of the Christians I know personally who are going through suffering and difficulties. They battle cancer, chronic disease and severe health issues that don’t have any answers. They beg God to bring back their wayward children or plead for God to save their marriage. They are exhausted from fighting each day with depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts. They agonize as they watch their loved ones who are trapped in addiction slip further and further away. They suffer verbal, physical and sexual abuse. They struggle to pay the bills and put food on the table. They ask God, “How long, O LORD?” They wait for him to save the day, yet sometimes there seems to be no answer. It’s difficult to understand why these people who love the Lord must suffer. It seems unfair. Yet, I see them looking to God through it all, praising him and trusting Him to help them endure to the end… even though.

I think of friend with relatives in Syria. I read her stories about the life-threatening situations the Syrians face and how difficult it is to escape. I receive emails from “Voice of the Martyrs” which tell of Christians around the world being persecuted and killed because of their faith. They ask God, “How long, O LORD?” They wait for him to save the day, yet sometimes there seems to be no answer. It doesn’t seem right in our eyes that God would allow this to happen to those who have decided to follow Jesus. Yet these brothers and sisters in Christ continue to praise God and trust Him to help them endure to the end… even though.

So, I think on this book of Habakkuk and my own prayers asking God, “How long, O LORD?” and I wait for him to save the day. And I pray that I will always continue to have the strength and the faith to be able to say as Habakkuk and my brothers and sisters in Christ, “Even though… yet I will rejoice in the LORD!” For without Him I have no hope, but in Him, I have everything.

What about you? Whatever you face today, are you able to say, “Even though… yet I will rejoice in the LORD”? If you are in going through a difficult season, remember that God loves you, He is with you and that He is in control. Wait patiently. He will save. He may not handle things the way we think He should take care of them, but He sees the big picture and knows what is best. Even his own Son suffered in order to work out God’s perfect plan so that we could be made right with Him and have eternal life if we “believe in Him” (John 3:16) and “live by their faithfulness to God” (Habakkuk 2:4).

How long, O LORD? Yet I will rejoice.

My family really spoiled me for Mother’s Day this year by spending time with me, writing special notes, making one-of-a-kind creations, and shopping for gifts as well. Each of their offerings was special because they each took the time to think about what I would enjoy and what would make me feel special and loved. I have no doubt that they love me and know me well.

One of the gifts I received from my youngest son was a garden gnome. I have a few little gnomes hiding in spots around my home, and Noah thought I might like another. We were expecting company shortly after I opened the gift, so we decided we would find the perfect spot for the new addition when we weren’t so busy.

We spent a lovely afternoon with our extended family celebrating my mom, sister, sister-in-law and myself. We ate, talked, laughed and took pictures so we could remember our special time together.

I was walking to the house after the last of company left when I noticed something on the steps. One of my garden gnomes was shattered and lying on the top step. Unbeknownst to me, one of my young guests had accidentally dropped it and had cried a lot of tears about it.

I thought back to just a few hours before when my son had proudly presented me with the new gnome. We chuckled a little because it was like Noah knew I needed a new gnome to take the place of the one which was about to be broken.

Granted the gnome was not really a “need,” the situation reminded me of the way God pays attention to every detail of our lives and is ready to take care of things before we even ask.  A scripture popped into my head, “…your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him” (Matthew 6:8 NLT).

God knows us even better than we know ourselves. He knows the desires of our hearts as well as the needs we may not even be aware of. He knows which experiences will strengthen our faith as well as how those experiences will indirectly make an impact on the faith of others.

When I look back over my life, I can see just how wonderful God has been to me and how he has known exactly what I need. I can recall so many times in my life that God prepared me for a situation or provided for me, sometimes before I even knew the need was there. He has taken care of me physically, emotionally and spiritually and has blessed me in ways far greater than I could have even asked or imagined. He has made Romans 8:28-29 a reality in my life in that even the “bad things” in my life have been used to strengthen my faith and deepen my relationship with him.

Whatever you are going through today, take comfort in knowing that God sees you, hears you and knows what you need before you even ask. Continue to pray, remembering that we do rely on God for all of our needs, and trusting that he knows what is the very best. Have faith that “God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters” (Romans 8:28-29 NLT). And rather than worry about today or tomorrow, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:33 NLT). He knows exactly what you need even before you ask.