Scriptures: Jeremiah 1:5, Acts 17:26-28, Romans 8:28

You Were Uniquely Created by the Creator 

It is commonly said that while they are similar, no two snowflakes are identical. Just like snowflakes, all humans are similar, while at the same time each person is unique with individual DNA, fingerprints, and personalities. The Lord told Jeremiah: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born, I set you apart” (Jeremiah 1:5, NIV). He was talking to Jeremiah about his specific calling as a prophet, however, the same holds true for us. God knew us, formed us uniquely, and set us apart for a distinct purpose. I can prove it. Consider these fascinating words from the apostle Paul. “

And He [God] has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being . . .” (Acts 17:26-28). 

Wow. Can you believe that? Not only did God specifically make you, but He also specifically placed you in this exact moment and location in time. 

God knows where you are because in Him you live and move and have your being. Also, just like a snowflake, the turbulence along our journey is uniquely shaping us, making us. God certainly doesn’t cause painful and difficult things in this world. We live in a fallen, sinful, world that is groaning for the day of redemption. Jesus, God in the flesh, came to this planet, suffered and died as one of us to redeem us and deal with the enemy of our souls and the sin of mankind. There is a reason why God is allowing evil and pain to run its course. One day He will put a complete end to it. In the meantime, though, God is using everything, even the turbulence and storms in our lives to form us. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

Scriptures: Acts 16:22-26, Acts 16, Hebrews 13:15

Worship Through the Storm

There’s no greater act of faith than worshiping God when we are hurting. Actually, it’s impossible to truly worship God in the midst of painful situations unless you’re in faith. There’s a vast difference between worship and singing. The act of worship actually ignites faith and moves the hand of God. I’m not talking about singing a song about God. I’m talking about intimacy with the Father where you’re praising Him and acknowledging who He is right in the middle of chaos and pain, when everything around you looks impossible.

Worship is God’s way. When we worship in our storm God shows up. I love the story in the bible of Paul and Silas. You probably know it too, but I want you to fully grasp what’s going on here. First, we need to read Acts 16:22-26.

 “. . . the magistrates tore off [Paul and Silas’] clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. . . Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains were loosed.”

Think about it. Paul and Silas were beaten with rods and had many stripes laid on them. Their flesh was slashed, bruised, and bleeding. Open to the elements, their wounds were oozing and stinging. They were in physical agony. Then, they were thrown into the inner prison. The inner prison was the deepest, darkest, coldest dungeon—the absolute worst and most secure place. On top of that, their feet were clasped in these wooden stocks that locked so they couldn’t move. It was incredibly uncomfortable. One of the most difficult things for us is being uncomfortable.

Yet, with Paul and Silas what happens? At midnight they were “praying and singing hymns to God.” Those words “to God” means they were intimately worshiping. The Amplified Version says they were “singing hymns of praise to God.” The NLV says, “singing songs of thanks to God.” Whatever version you read; how do you do that? How do you thank God intimately when you are being tortured and dying? You have to know He is present and that something bigger is going on. Paul and Silas understood the reality that Jesus had risen from the dead and was right there with them through the Holy Spirit regardless of feelings and horrific circumstances. None of their hardships destroyed their faith in the Lord.

Worshiping the Lord during our storms is faith in action. It has nothing to do with how well we sing or what we feel about our voices. It’s a “sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name” (Hebrews 13:15).

Scriptures: Philippians 1:12-13, Acts 27:22-26, Acts 28:1-16

God Will Use Your Storm

One of the truths I’ve learned is that not only does the Lord often use our storms to make us, and as vehicles to get us to our ultimate destination, He will use us to do ministry along the way. Don’t think because you are in a battering storm that you can’t be used of God. Actually, it’s the exact opposite. There are people in the midst of the turbulence with you that need to hear your message of hope.

I’m reminded of the apostle Paul. He was imprisoned yet again, thinking the end of his earthly life was near. While sitting there in chains, he writes these astounding words to the church at Philippi.

 “But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ” (Philippians 1:12-13).

Can you believe that God was so interested in the souls of those soldiers and “all the rest” that he allowed Paul to be imprisoned so he could be a light in their darkness? Paul’s not complaining about his situation, and it wasn’t a lack of faith that put him there. Again, he recognized the Lord was right there with him using him despite his difficult circumstances.

On still another occasion, Paul had set sail for Rome. His calling and great desire was to get to Rome. God, however, allowed his method of transportation to be a prison ship carrying over 250 convicts while he was chained as one of them. If that’s not bad enough, a massive nor’easter hits and tosses the ship around like a rag doll driving it off course. All the prisoners think they are going to die, but the Lord is right there in the midst of the storm with Paul, and he tells them:

“I urge you [men] to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island” (Acts 27:22-26, NIV).

It seems there are a lot of “nevertheless-es” in our lives that the Lord uses. The ship runs ground on the island of Malta which is inhabited by friendly natives who welcomed them with open arms. It’s cold and raining on the beach, so the men build a fire to warm themselves. Paul picks up a pile of sticks and a poisonous viper jumps out and latches onto his hand. Paul simply shakes the serpent off and carries on with his business, never missing a beat. The natives standing around are all waiting for him to drop dead. They’re sure this attack happened because of some grievous sin in his life that upset the gods. But when Paul doesn’t keel over, their tune changes. They now think he’s a god and want to worship him. Paul assures them that he’s no god, but he does know the One true God. They listen and then take him to the chief official of the island whose father was sick to near death. Paul winds up praying for him, and the man was miraculously healed. “When this had happened,” wrote Luke, “the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured.” Revival breaks out on the island of Malta. Paul and his gang of prisoners stayed there for three months during the winter and Paul continued to minister God’s love and grace. Eventually, the Lord provided a different ship that had wintered on the island, and it was time to move on. They set sail to Rome. My question to you is this. What are you doing in your storm?

Scriptures: 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Ephesians 2:14, Psalms 46:1-2

Are You Running from Jesus?

When you’re in the middle of a storm, the one thing the enemy will try to do is to keep you from running to Jesus. Fear, panic, anxiety sets in. You have trouble keeping your mind from conjuring up the worst case scenario. Storms will pretty much do one of two things to you. They can drive you closer to the Lord or they can drive you away from the Lord. The choice is yours. Some people get angry and bitter, even at God because of the painful circumstances they find themselves in. When they don’t understand they pull away and shut Him out instead of reaching up through the turbulent waves for His hand. The enemy wants to keep you in fear or keep you distracted by your situation because drawing closer to the Lord in those times is where our ultimate comfort and strength comes from. For those who call out to Jesus, they let the turbulent waves push them closer to God. This often comes by having gone through multiple storms in life and experiencing God’s faithfulness time and again.

It’s living in an attitude of prayer; keeping an ongoing conversation with God that never stops. The bible says to pray continually, without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). God is not part of your life. He is your life. And he lets you ask Him anything. When I’m talking to Him, I say “Lord, here we are again. I need to hear from You. Where do we go from here?” I just have to know that wherever I go, He’s going with me and guiding me. Just like the cloud that the children of Israel followed in the dessert, I want him walking by my side every step. He’s leading me, not me leading Him. He knows where I’m going. I don’t know that. I just follow.

One of the evidences that you’re walking with God is His supernatural peace–a peace that passes all understanding. And that means it’s a peace that doesn’t make sense at times. Peace isn’t the absence of difficulty or pain. It’s the presence of God amidst those difficulties. Peace is a Person in the storm with us, holding us, carrying us, calming the turbulence within us. 

“For He Himself is our peace” (Ephesians 2:14). “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea” (Ps. 46:1–2).

Jesus IS God. He is our Peace. Run to Him for refuge, strength, and peace. He’s real, alive, and fully present even though our circumstances often scream the opposite.

Scriptures: Psalms 16:11, John 17:3, Psalms 42:1-3

Faith as a Child Will Guide You Through the Storm

The kingdom of heaven is more than our eternal realm. It’s a love relationship with Jesus here and now. “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3). Life, real eternal life, starts with knowing Him and is sustained through knowing Him. And to delve into the depths of that relationship with Him we must become as little children. That doesn’t mean childish or naïve. There is a difference. As little children, it’s running to Him, hopping in His lap, enjoying His presence and talking to Him.

As we grow older, however, and life gets tougher, more complex and hectic, we make it complicated when it’s not. Just talk to Him. Continue to talk to Him. That’s what He asks. He sees and hears. He can handle our questions, our emotions. He created us to have a personal relationship with us. Just don’t shut him out. Run to Him and talk to Him, especially in the storms. It’s having intimate fellowship with the Lord, that will empower you and guide you in the storm. If you are reading this and don’t know Jesus intimately, take a moment and invite Him into your heart. Repeat this prayer, “Jesus, forgive me. Come into my heart. Be my Lord and Savior. I surrender my life to You. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus name, Amen.”

Joy comes from the presence of God, so our strength comes from the presence of the Lord. “In your presence is fullness of joy,” wrote David. We don’t have to be moved when the storms rage around us. Our flesh can rest in hope. If there is fullness of joyin the Lord’s presence, and the joy of the Lord is our strength, that means our strength comes from His presence. Strength for life and storms comes from God’s presence. David knew this well. He knew storms and caves and enemies trying to take him out, and sheep in the wilderness, yet he always ran into God’s presence for joy and strength. “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, While they continually say to me, ‘Where is your God?’” (Psalm 42:1-3). David knew tears too, tears while those around him were saying, “Where is your God?” That’s what the enemy will whisper, and your flesh will scream when it looks like you’re going under. David knew better. He knew his joy and strength came in the Lord’s presence so that’s where he ran to talk to Him.

All you have to do is surrender all and be obedient, He will do the rest. When the storm clouds begin to clear, God has something new for you. Storms give us an opportunity to learn and grow. It may be a new direction for your life, it may be a new perspective on business or ministry. A new season may be around the corner, and you just acquired the tools needed to navigate that. God loves you and wants his best for you. He is working in and through all things to bring about that good thing.