Standing The Storms

By Angie Ketcham

It's no secret that life is tough.  I've always heard it said, "If anyone tells you differently, they're trying to sell you something."  Sometimes there are just no easy answers to the things we have to go through.  Sometimes it's not even that the storm is so big, we've just allowed ourselves to be overwhelmed by the waves of negative thinking in our mind.  We've burdened down the boat with so much weight that we've nothing left to do but sink.

Perhaps you are in that sinking boat right now.  Maybe it seems that the waves are going to overtake you.  Maybe you feel there is no hope for you or a family member that is struggling in life's journey.  Perhaps you have a sick baby that needs healing.  Maybe you have a rebellious teenager that is getting involved with the wrong crowd.  Maybe you have an adult child that has turned against God and has made poor choices.  Maybe it feels that no one hears your prayers or cares about you.  But I'm here to tell you that God does.


³⁵ On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” ³⁶ And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. ³⁷ And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. ³⁸ But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” ³⁹ And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. ⁴⁰ He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” ⁴¹ And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

Mark 4:35-41

God hears your cries and knows the load you are carrying.  He knew what it meant to carry the burden of sin so heavy on your heart that you think it might take you under.  He understood the price for sin and how it tears apart life like an angry wolf attacking its prey.  He already knew.  That's why He sent Jesus.  Jesus will carry our burdens.  He knows the storms we're going through.  Sometimes He chooses to calm the storm, but sometimes He will just hold us and give us peace in the midst of the storm.  He provides understanding and comfort as we go through these storms of life.

There was a time in my life when I was going through a rough storm.  There was a great spiritual battle going on for the defeat of my witness.  I felt that no one understood my heart.  I was numb to emotion and reactionary to my environment.  I had done everything I knew to do to fight "the spiritual battle" that was taking place in my home, and none of it seemed to change the situation.  I didn't even have the strength to cry out to God.  I felt so lost and alone.

But one day the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and reminded me that when I had nothing else to give to worship.  Worship.  I couldn't pray, but I put on some Rita Springer worship music and got on my face and just waited.  I said, "God, can you meet me here?  I'm broken.  I don't know if I can be fixed, but will you meet me here?"  And the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart to rest.  Rest.  I laid my head upon the floor and let the tears flow.  Suddenly they flowed from the very depths of my soul.  There were no words, just my Savior holding me in the arms of love.

I wish I could say that after that moment everything was okay, but it was not.  I still live in this carnal world and there are consequences to our choices.  But I learned that day that our God wants so much to give us peace as we go through life's storms.  He can provide the peace we need and trust that He is in control.  The Word says, "He will never leave us nor forsake us".  We can hold true to His promises for us as we go through this life.  We can have peace because He controls it all.  He will hold our hand as we continue to stand through the storms of life.  Thank you, Jesus!

Blessings,
Angie