You find yourself in a storm, and it feels like you’ve been abandoned by God, abandoned by people, and the darkness seems to be never-ending at times. Sometimes, you even run into people who give you platitudes that don’t really help, and you feel even more alone. Dear sister, today, I want to share with you what to do when you’re having trouble trusting God in the storm, and how you can find rest when the storms of life come. I want to give you hope that you get to the other side of this storm, and it will not overtake you.
When You Don’t Understand
One of my favorite verses when I don’t understand and I’m having trouble trusting God in the storm is:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding (NIV).
I often want to understand, to make sense of why someone did or said something so terrible or understand why something happened. It’s like I want to know what’s going to happen and have all the details, and sometimes all I have is a promise, a glimpse into What God can do with this.
And I have to come to a place of being ok with not understanding… but choosing to trust God with all my heart and leaning not on my understanding.
Often, when I’m faced with something I just do not understand, I need to say out loud,
Lord, I choose to trust that you are bigger than this storm, and I choose to trust you in it.
Focus on Jesus
Another thing it is so very easy to do when storms come is to focus on the storm itself, focus on what people or the enemy is doing, on the wrongs done, and the darkness that seems to loom and have power.
But, to trust God in the storm, look at Jesus instead.
- Focus on the promises He’s made you.
- Focus on what He has spoken to your heart in prayer.
- Focus on what He has already done.
When training for ministry in Cleansing Stream, one of the first things we learned was to always make Jesus the focus.
When we make the enemy or what people are doing the focus, they soon become bigger in our minds than what God has said, and it’s harder to believe God for His promises when our focus is on the evil instead of the victory that is promised.
Rest in the midst of the storm
This may seem counterintuitive.
But when we do the first two things mentioned, trust in the lord and lean not on our understanding, and focus on Jesus and what He has said rather than on what the enemy is doing, we will be able to rest in the midst of the storm, not allowing it to toss us back and forth, but resting in the promises God has made to us, knowing that God is bigger than these storms, and whether we see Him working or not, He will carry us through to the other side of this.
Because There is An Other Side to this Storm.
Let me say that again. There is an other side to this storm.
There is a day where you will be standing on the other side of this storm if you do not give up.
I want to leave you with this scripture as you think of standing through this storm.
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (NIV).
Know that Jesus has not abandoned you. You are not alone in this storm, and He will carry you through this.
Know that you will one day stand on the other side of this storm, and will be stronger and more confident in God to carry you through.
To trust God in the storm, and find rest in the midst of it, choose to trust in the lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, to focus on Jesus instead of all the evil going on around you, His word, His promises, His presence in your life.
Know that you can find rest in Him, and you will reap a harvest if you do not give up.
The storm wants you to give up, give in, blame God and not move forward.
But when you stand through the storm through trusting, focusing on Jesus and resting in Him, you will come out on the other side of this, stronger than before, more confident in God to keep His promises to you, and carry with you that you have seen the provision and deliverance of the Lord.
