This year, there were 18 named storms in the Atlantic/Gulf and 11 of those made American landfall. Of those 11, 4 were hurricane strength. On average every year in America, storms do $22.8 billion in damage. Storms are tough and they don’t care who gets hurt or the loss they create.
It’s true metaphorically in our lives as well. Storms are tough. Someone once said, “If you not coming out of a storm or in a storm, there’s one just around the corner waiting on you.” In other words, storms in our lives are inevitable. Some of you are in a storm right now.
For some, it’s going through a tough divorce. For another, it’s watching your adult children make poor life choices. Still others, it’s fighting through financial stress, especially this time of year. Others are hanging on through by their fingernails as they fight depression and anxiety. And of course, we all know older family members who are experiencing chronic and ongoing illness that affect our breathing, movement and heart. What do you do when you’re in the middle of the storm?
You never allow the presence of a storm to cause you to doubt the presence of God. He’s Immanuel (Matthew 1:23)…He is God with us.”
While we like to point to the Devil as the source of our issues (and overall that would be true), sometimes we have storms in our life just because of you. Sometimes there are storms because you spend too much money. You ran up the credit cards and took out a second mortgage and now those bills have come due. Your emotions got the best of you and you said some things during your fight to the one you love that can’t be taken back. You procrastinated. You decided to push off that budget meeting, that homework, studying for the final, buying Christmas gifts and now, it’s the eleventh hour. Everyone told you not to date him but you did anyone and now you are discovering why.
But sometimes, you’re in the storm and it’s really not your fault. Your parents are getting a divorce and as their child, you are stuck in the middle. The company you work for decided to do something different and now revenues are down so you find yourself out of a job. You trusted someone and took their word they’d come through. You did your part but they never showed up and now you are left holding the bag.
Paul knew disappointment. He writes Timothy in Ephesus in 2 Timothy 4:16-17 and reminds him that even when everyone left him and walked away, God stood with him. Because God is Immanuel, God with us.
There’s a popular story in Mark 4. Jesus and the disciples are in a boat on the Sea of Galilee at night when a massive storm comes up. These experienced fishermen thought they were going to drown. They thought life was over until Jesus stood up to calm the storm. With Jesus’ words, the sky cleared, the waves stopped and wind was gone. See, peace is not found in the absence of the storms but in the presence of Jesus. Jesus told John, “In this world, you will have trouble but take heart, I have overcome the world.”
See my faith isn’t about what I see but in what God says! My faith isn’t in a boat but who commands the wind and waves. My faith isn’t in a ship but the one who created the trees that built the ship. You can’t control how big the storm is in your life or the damage it may bring but you can control what you believe about Immanuel and recognize He is with you in your storm.
The Psalmist writes in Psalms 46:1-3, “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!” No matter the storm in my life, I am trusting God Almighty. He has told me He will never leave me. He walks with me. He’s already in tomorrow preparing a place for me. My peace is not in the absence of the storm but in the presence of my God. Blessings on the journey.