Praise Him In The Storm...

If you have not gone to visit my new favorite blog, you have to go meet this person. It's the kind of writer that has a way of saying exactly what you wanted to say but a whole lot better. Her post yesterday talked about praising God in the storm and Ken and I are learning alot about this right now. I am posting the whole entry here b/c I know some people don't follow links, but you can go here to read it on her blog and see the pretty pictures.

It’s easy to worship God, when everything is going our way. It’s easy to praise God for new jobs, health, possessions, good friends and family. What about when things don’t go so well? There are those people that would say that it’s a faith issue. Job’s friends thought so. Job’s friends told Job to confess the sin he was hiding, so that God would bless him again.

What kind of faith does it require to praise God in just the good times?

If there ever were a test of our faith…If there ever were a test of our motives of worship—it is when a storm rolls into our life. Sometimes God calms the storms, but sometimes He chooses to ride along with us.

What does it mean to praise God in THIS storm? This storm suggests that we are going through it right now. It’s easy to say that I will praise God in THE storm, because we are going through the storm, but the word THIS says, at least to me, that we are going through the storm at the current time and that I can praise God during the storm.

One of my favorite verses from years ago in youth group, comes from Romans 8:28. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

To be real honest, it sure doesn’t seem that way when you are in the middle of a storm. It’s difficult at best to get your bearings in the middle of a storm.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever, you face trials of many kinds…”

Whoa…We should consider trials a joy? Why ?

“Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything…”

Trials and testing and the storms of life are not evidence of our lack of faith, but evidence that our faith is there and needs refining.

Perseverance through the storm increases our faith. And strengthens it. I like the words James uses here. James in effect is saying that without trials we can never become mature believers. We can never become complete in our faith. Without the storms our faith, we will be short of strength and faith.

“I lift up my eyes to the hills where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed he who watches over Israel will neither slumber or sleep. The Lord watches over you—the Lord is the shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”

We must remember God is God !