04/08/2022
We thank God often for our many blessings but do we thank Him sufficiently for the hardships and suffering that led us to them? It seems that we are more inclined to view our faith and interaction with the Lord through rose colored glasses, and quickly set aside the memories of suffering to make room for the wonderful blessings that came as a result. Could God have led the Israelites out of captivity if they hadn’t first been placed in bondage? Would the blessing of the manna have come if they hadn’t been starving in the wilderness? Today let’s look at the great moments of faith and blessing in our lives, and thank God, and Jesus for what led us to them in the first place… the storms.
“For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
2 Corinthians 12:10 ESV
When we are in the midst of tribulation we like to think that God is somewhere else, and that when we pray for His help He leaps to His feet, and comes riding to where we are on a magnificent white horse, to save us. The truth is that He has been with us all along, and we aren’t calling Him to us… we are calling Him into action by opening our eyes, leaning into him, and believing, as we should, that He is right there.
“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.”
Psalm 139:7-10 ESV
God is with us always; He knows our every thought, and each and every word we will say before it leaves our mouth, thus He is with us in our calamities, our suffering, and when we finally find ourselves leaning fully into Him in our humility, and prayers, calling on Him in the name of Jesus, and conforming to His will… then He opens the floodgates, He sings over us, and releases His blessings. Our faith, belief, and the surrender of our spirit, will allow the scales to fall from our eyes.
“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”
Zephaniah 3:17 ESV
So, do we praise God, not only in the storms of life, but for the storms that buffet us? Do we give Him the glory for every circumstances that has led us to lean on Him completely? Do we wrongly believe that our troubles occur in spite of Him, and that they are in any way equal to the glory, and blessing He wants to reveal to us from within them?
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV
I was staying at a lodge in Whitefish, Montana, and became friends with the night clerk there. He took wildlife photographs to supplement his income, and one of them hung above the check-in desk. Early one morning, when all was calm in the lobby, and I had finished writing my devotional, he told me of the day that picture was taken. He had been on a high mountain taking pictures of the Big Horn Sheep when a sudden storm engulfed the entire mountaintop. Before he could escape the sky grew black and the thick clouds surrounded him. He told me about how the lightning was fierce, and much of it was striking parallel to the ground. He went on to describe how each flash lit up the clouds in an eerie glow similar to a neon light, and that the rain was blowing sideways as well. He was truly in the heart of that storm, and I was enthralled as he went on to tell me how he stretched out prone on the ground and miraculously survived. I had visions of the wind that passed by Elijah.
“And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.”
1 Kings 19:11-12 ESV
As I listened to his story of the storm, I recalled the times I had been caught up in one of life’s many storms. I thought of the intensity of them, and how I would humble myself by falling to my knees before God and pray mightily. Then I recalled how, when I was sufficiently humbled, I would receive deliverance… the blessing. Each of my personal storms had led me to a spiritual epiphany, or advancement in faith, that far outweighed the storm, but it disappointed me that I couldn’t recall thanking the Lord for the storms themselves. Without my personal storms the blessings wouldn’t have come.
“Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in; hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.”
Psalm 107:4-6 ESV
Some of us are in a storm right now, and some of us have just come through one, but all of us will find ourselves there in the midst of the lightning, and clouds, at some point. When we do find ourselves facing such tribulation don’t just thank the Lord for the blessing, and deliverance, that follows, but for the storm itself. Ask yourself why God showed Elijah the wind, the earthquake, and the fire, before He whispered to him in the small still voice. What is the significance of our storm?
Prayer:
Father, thank you for the many blessings you bestow upon us, and the comfort we receive when our trials and suffering have subsided, but thank you too for the storms themselves which have led us to receive those blessings. Thank you for the lightning, wind, the shaking ground, and the fire that threatened to engulf us. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who is with us always, and who opens our eyes through Jesus Christ to your grace. Praised be your name for each flash of lightning that causes us to flinch in fear, and for every illness that causes us to suffer, because in each of these trials we are made more aware of your presence, and our faith grows in it. Merciful are you Father as you hear our prayers, and teach us to lean heavily on you. Wash us with the livening water, and blood of Jesus. Cleanse us of our sins, and make us worthy, and righteous, before you. Shake us Holy Father until every particle of unclean dust has fallen from us, and we are pleasing to you. Bless us Lord, and hear our prayers as we thank you for every tribulation we have been through with you, and that has brought us to eternity in you.
“And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Matthew 5:2-12 ESV
Rich Forbes