When You Pass Through the Waters
When You Pass Through the Waters
Where do I start? What should I say? My heart is so full! It is full of heartbreak for those in our country who are enduring such devastation. You see, my family has experienced devastation. When I was a child, we lost everything, and I mean everything except what we wore to bed, in a fire that engulfed our home one night. As we stood homeless and barefoot in the street and sleet fell from the sky, everything was gone. We had nothing – no shoes, no coat, nowhere to sleep. As an adult, I experienced a time of suffering when I truly could not see that things could ever be okay again. It felt like my life was over. As I see the pictures of the destruction of this latest hurricane I remember the feelings, the heartbreak, the devastation that floods your heart and mind.
It is a funny thing how hindsight brings forth revelation. While in the middle of the storm, your vision is impaired and it can seem impossible to navigate your course. However, when you trust God through the hard seasons of life and let Him carry you through, you find yourself in a place you could never have been without the storm. Looking back on those hard times and those difficult days, you see how faithful God is and that you were never alone. He uses every second of the storm for good in your life – to draw you closer to Him, to grow you spiritually, and to place a faith inside of you that will never falter.
"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
Satan would have us to focus on our pain, our loss, and the destruction that is left behind. God would have us to look up! Look up and focus on Him! What He has done for us is greater than anything that has happened to us! Trust God! In the book of Joel we read about a time of devastation – a locust plaque. Joel offered hope to true believers. God would keep His promise. Restoration would come!
"So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust and the chewing locust." Joel 2:25
Last year, I had the honor of studying God’s word with a group of inmates in a state prison. I will never forget one day when I asked one of the women to read the first part of Psalm 23 out loud. She was hardened – no doubt she had endured storms. She held the Bible in her tattooed and scarred arms. She fumbled until she found the page and slowly began to read aloud. “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul.” She stopped. Silence filled our group. We weren’t sure what was happening, but slowly she looked up and with tear filled eyes said, “That is what I need right here. I need Him to restore my soul.” The truth is this is what we all need and what we can all have when we place our trust in Him.
Even after this storm passes through our nation, we recognize this is not the only type of storm we will experience. If we are not in the midst of a storm now, there will be one heading our way soon. The truth is that God is enough to carry us through any storm we encounter. He is in control. His way is best. Even if a storm must rage through our life it is worth it when it grows us into who He created us to be and takes us where He has purposed us to go. He will restore our soul. He will restore our life to a place we cannot even imagine. We can believe on Him for that. He will fulfill this promise.
Get ready. Great testimonies will come from this storm. A great testimony can come from your personal storm.
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God." Isaiah 43:2-3a
A note from Pam:
Today, I am praying for all who have been and will be affected by Hurricane Harvey. Let's do what we can to help. And I am praying for you and your personal storm. God is enough to see you through!