Coping With Storms

It's been heartbreaking to see the images as a result of the recent hurricane.  Or anytime you see pictures from a tropical storm, tornadoes or the massive destruction of earthquakes, it shakes us.  It births a overwhelming feeling as the earth and all the familiar things in our lives are cut, ripped, moved, disappeared, destroyed, or worse yet just... lost.  The devastation is stunning.

Living in Oklahoma seeing these kind of images are not new.  We have had our share of disasters.  But I must say...it's something I never get over. One question that pops loose when these catastrophic events happen is this one..."Where is God in the middle of the storm?"

He's right beside you.

We often question God as if these disasters have anything to do with His love for us.  

Life weighs heavy on us, especially when we have to watch pain, loss and suffering and recovery.  All we can do is click to make a donation...and don't feel like that it's enough. We even feel like our prayers aren't enough...matched with the amount of recovery that is needed.

How can you ever recover from that kind of force of nature wreaking havoc on your reality? In these instances...I am learning that just because our world is spinning out of control doesn't mean that God isn't still in control.  Even when it looks like all will be lost and destroyed.  These type of storms are certainly heartbreaking, but know that God sees and restores.  He hasn't turned his back or rejected us.  He hurts when we hurt.  Help is on the way...and when the hand of compassion is extended...God works.

He speaks like into the broken places and brings healing through the hands of the firefighters, debri removers, the communities that pull together for a common cause. He brings miracles...too many to count.  Do not be discouraged by the difficulties that seem overwhelming, impossible or when your circumstances are shouting over your common sense.

Now it's time to bring this home....what about your pain today?

God hasn't forgotten your pain, your loss, your hurts.  He sees the destruction and the disasters.  He sees your cracks and deep crevices that are filling with resentment and heartache.  He knows and sees.  He steps in and restores.  

Ever notice with stories in the Bible that right before a miracle happens that something is broken.  There is the feeding the 5000, Jesus lifted the pieces of bread to the heavens, broke the bread and then gave thanks?

When the wedding party was demanding more wine and the servants rushed to the back of the kitchen to get the best wine...there had to be some empty jars before there was a re-filling?

How about when Jesus when asked the tired and exhausted fishermen to cast their empty nets just once more on the other side of the boat?  The disciples responded with groans...but obeyed.  They were wrong about the sea being empty of fish that day.

God likes to work when nothing else will.  God loves to work when things seem impossible.  God does the impossible.  God restores and brings miracles.  We can take delight in that we can depend and totally trust Him for who He is.  

God specializes in breaking so that only He can do the fixing.  

And when things look overwhelming, destroyed, beyond repair, and always in a state of chaos, then...it's prime time for God to rescue.  

"Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, 

but with God all things are possible."  Matthew 19:26

So ask God to do the impossible in your current disaster.   
Jesus met the disciples in the midst of their storm.  
We can invite God into the middle of ours.