Storms

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” – James 1:2-4

This time, I’m not apologizing. Just know it’s the 4th quarter and ya girl is OFF the bench. You can quote me on that.

“Heavy rain & potentially damaging winds…”

Meteorologists can “predict” the weather.  Sometimes they’re wrong but MOST times, they’re absolutely on point. They know the time and place of a thunderstorm. They also know the impact of said storm. Unfortunately, neither they nor we can predict the “storms” of every day life.

HOWEVER, if you think about the timing of those life storms, you’ll find that they come when you THINK life is going just fine. When your money’s right, when you’re drinking water and minding you’re own business, when your edges are finally growing back, that’s when storms hit. And they hit hard.

Your world is turned upside down, you’ve lost things or people that were valuable and maybe even misplaced…

Is it just me or do you immediately wonder what you did wrong? Just me? (Okay).

Well I’ll speak for myself when I say life’s storms feel like punishment. “Am I not praying enough?” “What did I say wrong?” “Man, I did spend a lot of time on social media today.” SOMETIMES, that may be the case. God has ways of showing us how jealous He is when we spend too much time and energy on things other than Him. Sometimes we have been inconsiderate and used a sharp time and He’s trying to whip us into shape.

Ultimately, storms come to check our faith. If God gave us the perfect life full of everything we could ask for, we’d probably never think twice about anything. Not even HIM. But God wants to know if we will still love, worship and praise Him even when things are bad. Can He still trust us to show up to church and even show up for others even when our situations are unbearable?

Before you answer, consider how you respond to the storms in your life. Not that you should be happy but God is always watching how we handle what life throws at us. But do you constantly complain? Are you mad at God? Have you allowed yourself to slip into a depressive and confused state of mind?

What should we be doing?

Well, we SHOULD be resting on His promises that are in His word. We SHOULD be able to smile in the midst of trials. We SHOULD be able to encourage others. We SHOULD understand that God loves us very much, He knows us better than we know ourselves and He’s in complete control of everything. We SHOULD continue praying, worshiping, and fasting. Yes, fasting. Hear me saints, I rather push the plate than stress eat and gain weight any day. I’m just saying.

With this post, I just want to encourage you to shift your mentality when life’s storms hit your address. Not every storm causes you to lose. Sometimes things just need to be shaken and rearranged. Consider that the worst could still be worse. Know that God is keeping you safe in the midst.

“Be still, and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the Earth!” – Psalms 46:10

When the storm is over and you realize that you’re still alive, remember to give God ALL the recognition. Because if it were not for Him, His grace and His love, where would we truly be?