I want to share today that if you find yourself in a storm, please know its not the size of the storm that matters, how long its been going on, or even how you found yourself in the storm (sometimes we find ourselves in a storm because of someone elses decision...like the people who were on the ship with Jonah). There is purpose in the storm. He wants to be with you in the storm and He will bring your through it. Do I believe He can remove us out of the storm...you betcha...but that's not always the case! Sometimes there are lessons to learn in the storm.
Oh and while we are out there bobbin' around in the storm keep your eyes open for the life perserver to be thrown. And friends, find out who is on the other end of that life preserver, if its NOT God don't grab ahold of it! I know the enemy works to trick us in very creative ways...yeah he even tries to throw you what appears to be a life preserver, but again its who's the other end that is important!
He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.
Psalm 18:16
I want God on the other end of the life preserver I grab on to in this storm!
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8 comments:
Nichole, if I didn't know better, I'd think I was reading my own words. I can relate to all you said here. I have a quote on my side bar that says: sometimes He calms the storm and sometimes He calms His child.
It seems in one of my posts (or maybe future posts that I've only drafted) I mentioned how in a physical storm, the eye is the most calm. If we translate that to our life storms, we can say the same thing. It can be the calmest in the eye of our storm as long as we are clinging to Him.
I never thought about the life preserver aspect. It is so true that the enemy also sends good things in front of us that will deceive us to think they are from God. I kind of touched on this in my post this week as we discussed it in Bible study. The enemy is not above using good things to distract us from our treasures. As you said, he's also not above throwing us what looks like a life preserver but in the end, it will only cause us to sink further.
Hoping you are doing better as you endure these medical issues you previously posted on.
He has gotcha....
What a blessing knowing you have God.
I Love You,
Mom
I like what Paula said, "Sometimes He calms the storm, and sometimes He calms His child." That is so true.
Keeping you in prayer my friend.
Yes Jesus... I grab on to Your life preserver... pull me out of the storm. Thank YOU; I praise YOU Jesus, Father God. I see YOU God, and I hold on to YOUR word to carry me through. In Jesus' name, amen.
I'm with you on this visual. So much so that I've kept my daughter's life perserver from when she was a toddler as a reminder of God's rescue for stormy days. He is my life perserver. I hope to one day use this visual aid someday in a talk. Nothing better than our Heavenly Father's hand to save us.
Thank you!!
I was thinking of the same quote Paula shared as I was reading this. If you've never heard that song - you must!! I couldn't find a good link on You Tube, but here are the lyrics:
All who sail the sea of faith
Find out before too long
How quickly blue skies can grow dark
And gentle winds grow strong
Suddenly fear is like white water
Pounding on the soul
Still we sail on knowing
That our Lord is in control
Sometimes He calms the storm
With a whispered peace be still
He can settle any sea
But it doesn't mean He will
Sometimes He holds us close
And lets the wind and waves go wild
Sometimes He calms the storm
And other times He calms His child
He has a reason for each trial
That we pass through in life
And though we're shaken
We cannot be pulled apart from Christ
No matter how the driving rain beats down
On those who hold to faith
A heart of trust will always
Be a quiet peaceful place
Sometimes He calms the storm
With a whispered peace be still
He can settle any sea
But it doesn't mean He will
Sometimes He holds us close
And lets the wind and waves go wild
Sometimes He calms the storm
And other times He calms His child
It's sung by Scott Krippayne and it's EXCELLENT! On my flight home from NC last summer as the plane rocked and rolled through a thunder storm, these are lyrics the Lord kept repeating through my head. He didn't calm the storm, but I can give testimony to the truth that He did calm His child.
Love ya Nichole,
Joy
That life preserver analogy goes both ways. There's that joke about the folks in a rising flood. God sends a raft, boat, helicopter to rescue the folks, but they folks on the roof are waiting for it to stop raining/flooding/or something. They never take God's life preserver because they don't see Him offering it. They are waiting for their own sign.
Storms will come and go, He told us so. We need to see through the driving wind and rains--the stuff that clouds our vision--and remember that HE IS IN THE BOAT WITH US!!!
I'm so glad you see Him in your boat right now, Nichole! Continued prayers as you wait for more answers.... He will keep you covered!
Nichole... I loved that you warned that if it isn't God at the end of the preserver... don't grab it! How many times does it seem as if our help will come from someone or something that isn't Godly.
I loved your post. You are so right, it's not the size or the length of the storm, but it's our Life Preserver that counts!
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