Reacting to the Storm

I think a common misconception that we have, is that as Christians we shouldn't have storms and struggles. We think that once we accept Christ, our lives should be easy. Oh, how I wish that were so. But since we are now living as strangers in a land that is no longer our home, it becomes much harder. We know that Satan has a large control over the earth, as said in 2 Corinthians 4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

So it goes to show that as Christians we are now the enemy of Satan, so he is going to do everything he can to derail us, discourage us and to tempt us back to a sinful life. We, as Christians, will struggle with these things for as long as we are following Christ. These are storms that we go through. There are also times that we are put through hard times by God, to test our faith, to teach us lessons, to help us grow. These are also storms. 

I have been thinking a lot lately about the storms of life that we go through. And I think how we react to them says a lot about our faith. I have been thinking and reading a lot about two strong men of the Bible. One old testament, and one new testament. Job was a righteous man. He was favored of God, so much that God bragged about him to Satan. Satan then told God that the only reason Job followed God was because God had protected him. So God gave Job over for Satan to test, to see if he would turn his back on God if things got hard. My favorite quote of Job's is this:
 The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away.
Blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job 1:21

It didn't matter how much Satan put Job through, even the loss of his children, and all his possessions, he never turned his back on God. I will admit that I am no Job. I have been through some storms lately. Some have been kind of like a summer storm, and some have been tornadoes. I have had a headache for five months. It is usually just bothersome, but at times it goes in to a full blown migraine that knocks me to the ground. I have tried to figure out what brought it on. Medically, its sinuses for the most part. But spiritually, it has brought me down. I have missed more church in this past 5 months than ever before, because of the pain. The noise of too many people, or music causes pain at times. I have had to leave the sanctuary during the praise songs. I have quit singing in the choir. After Bible study I don't stand around and talk, because it gets loud, I go to the copy room and work on the bulletin, and miss out on the fellowship. I have battled depression, I have over medicated. I have at times struggled with suicidal thoughts. I have begged God to take the pain from me. I have prayed more. I have searched through my life for sin that I have not confessed. I have removed harmful people from my life, I have stepped back from toxic relationships. I have sought counsel from more mature Christians who can point me to the scriptures I need. I have forgiven people that never asked for it. I let go of dreams that cause me pain, that can never have a good outcome. I have started praising God in the midst of the storm. 

People ask me all the time how my headaches are, because I don't mention them as often. They are there. But after all this time they have become a part of me. I am not sure I would know what it felt like to not have a headache. I know that one day I will wake up and it will be gone, but in the mean time, I have a life to live and as long as it's not a migraine, I will go on as normal. I choose to praise God. I know that the headache has been for good. I would never have started this blog without the headache. I would never had sought counseling  and dealt with past hurts. I would not be writing. Over a year ago, God put it in my mind that I needed to write, to use the talent He gave me to bring glory to Him. I had no self confidence so I ignored it. Now I am listening. And because I have been obedient, God has blessed me considerably. I will continue to praise Him, even in the midst of the storms. 

The second Bible character is Paul. Paul is different from Job. Paul started out as Saul, and was NOT a good person. He did much to persecute the early church, and even was present at the stoning of Stephen. But God still redeemed him, showing that no one is above redemption, or above being used by God. But when we get to thinking too much of ourselves, sometimes God has to bring us down a bit, to keep us humble. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 says he was given a thorn in the flesh. . 7 Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself!8 Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. 9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

I have had thorns in my flesh. There are times that God calls me to do things, and I do them, and feel really good about myself, and somewhat proud of my obedience. Then I sometimes forget that its not about me, but for God's glory. I have had people put me down, make fun of me. I get my feelings hurt, or have past mistakes brought up to discourage me, or make me question my faith. I have asked God repeatedly to take the tough situations away from me, to give me an easier path, and these verses come to mind, as His answer. His grace is sufficient for me. Lean on His grace to get me through. Maybe that is the key to the headaches. They keep me searching. They keep me humble. They keep me looking toward God. When my iron count was bottoming out, and the headaches were unbearable a friend of mine told me she didn't see how I functioned. I told her I functioned because I had to, and because God gave me the strength to keep putting one foot in front of the other. 

Despite the pain, the struggles, the doubts and the persecution I deal with because of my beliefs, I choose to praise God regardless. I will praise Him in the storm, the same way I praise Him on the sunshine filled days. One of my friends gave me a picture for my inspirational wall. It says "Life isn't about waiting for the storms to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain. " I am finally learning to dance. I may have two left feet and no rhythm, but God thinks I am as graceful as can be. He loves me, mistakes and all. He brings me storms, and allows me storms so that my faith increases, and to remind me that He is in control of my life, and really, I wouldn't want it any other way.