Through This Storm

by Courtney Smith

I’m going through some really tough times right now. It kind of feels like troubles just keep pouring down on me. I think anybody can relate to me when I say, sometimes, I just want a break. Just want to get away from it all. And please, just let the rainbow come already! Just let this storm pass right now, and let me see the sunshine and rainbow!

Nothing seems to be going right anymore. I’m a wreck. I’m in total need of a transformation. You know those times when everything will be going right, maybe not exactly perfect, but great, and then things slowly start to go down hill? It’s what I’m experiencing right now. About a month ago, I couldn’t see how life could have gotten any better. I was as joyful and happy as I’ve ever been. Then old and probably new problems came creeping in on me and finally they brought me down. So now I’m going through a storm. I know this “storm” is God testing me. It’s also a chance to become more like Him. What will I do? Will I stay committed to Him and follow in His ways, or will I just give up and not live the life He intended me to live? It truly is hard being committed to the Lord. Sometimes you feel like it’s a waste of time, there’s no point in it, it’s too hard, and so on. So yeah, it’s hard. But it’s totally worth it. I know it’s hard to see beyond the here and now, but there’s such a bigger picture. Every single choice we make on earth has eternal significance. And if we cling to Jesus all the time, no matter what, and if we stay committed to Him, no matter how hard life gets, He will make sure that we get out of the storms alright, and even stronger in our faith and our relationship with Him than before. There’s beauty to be seen in the midst of the brokeness. There’s a rainbow and sunshine to be seen in the middle of life’s storms. There is joyfulness to have while we have sorrow. And even though we will sometimes be knocked down and fall flat on our faces, we will feel like there’s no way out, no one to pick up the pieces, and our hearts will be burdened, Jesus is holding out his hands for us to take hold of. He is asking us to lay every single thing at His feet and let Him take care of it all. He will give our weary and our troubled hearts rest. He will give us strength, joy and hope. Since Jesus never gave up on us, and He never will, we should never give up on Him, and we should always stay committed to Him. So yeah, life is hard. But He promises to get us through the hard times and be right by our side, making sure that we never have to face anything without Him. He never said that living a life pleasing to Him would be easy, but He did say he would help us to do just that.

“…make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with Him.” – 2 Peter 3:14

“We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.” – Hebrews 2:1

“Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” – Hebrews 2:18

“You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.”  – Jeremiah 29:13

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever! Amen.” – 2 Peter 3:18

“…what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God…” – 2 Peter 11 & 12

“All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” Matthew 10:22

“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of suffering. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” – 1 Peter 5:9 – 10

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.” – Psalm 84:11

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