In the song "Praise You In this Storm," Casting Crowns illustrates beautifully the very principle I want to address with this article, particularly with these lyrics:
And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands,
For You are who You are
No matter where I am.
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand.
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn,
I will praise You in this storm.
I will praise you in this storm. Take a second to think about that. It is more than just a good title for a song or a catchy phrase. No, this is a whole-hearted declaration of faith and love.
In the book of Proverbs, King Solomon wrote:
"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)
King Solomon tells us to simply trust in Him. One thing I love about this verse is that Solomon does not add any criteria for trusting God. He does not tell the reader to trust God when everything is okay, nor does it say to trust God when you are feeling down. He simply says, "Trust in the LORD."
Colossians 1:13 states:
"He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son."
If that's not deep, I don't know what is. Paul wrote this verse while in prison. This man is literally in prison, going through persecution and probably many other things, yet he decides to write that Christ has delivered us. For me, that's amazing.
Now the question is not whether God is with us or if our situation will turn for the better. The question is: How can this happen? How can something good come from a car accident, a divorce, a loss, anxiety, a really bad day, a heartbreak, or a betrayal?
Well, Romans 8:28 states:
"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."
Think about it this way - what if someone offered for you to eat an egg, vegetable oil, milk, sugar, some flour, and baking powder? No one would eat that because most of those things taste horrible on their own. However, put them together and you have the basic ingredients for a donut, which tastes great!
As the verse states, "all things work together for good." That doesn't mean that all things will be good. It means that in the end they will come together to result in something good.
Trust in God. Whether you are happy, in the storm, or just out of the storm. Praise Him for what He has done, for what He is doing, and for what He will do in you.
Lastly, I leave you with this final verse and I encourage you to seek Him. God bless.
Psalms 46:1-3,7
1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 Though its waters thereof roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
7 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
