When Storms Come

Here are some lessons I've learned when times are tough, whether it's with finances, emotions, marriage, family issues, friend drama, stress, whatever!

#1 Set your hope in Christ alone
God allowed me to be rejected by several christian women, and by a family member who meant a lot to me, to get me to that point where I was no longer able to put my hope in them. All I had left was to put my hope in Christ, where it should've been in the first place. 
"..hold fast to the hope set before us. ¹⁹ We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, ²⁰ where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever.." Hebrews 6:18-20 (ESV)
Is there someone or something else that you are putting your hope in? Why? What makes you think they would be a better answer over Jesus?

#2 It's either a storm of Perfection or a storm of Correction
We are either walking with the Lord in obedience (perfection) and the enemy wants to knock us down with storms OR we are not walking with the Lord and so He allows a storm of correction to try and get us back on the right path with Him. Seek His Word and ask Him which storm you are in. If you are in complete obedience with Him then it's a storm of perfection and you just have to keep your eyes on Jesus. Do not give in to the enemy's attempts! If it's a storm of correction, then you have some sin in your life that you need to turn from.  Get that sin into the light so it can begin to heal. In doing so, the storm of correction will soon turn into a rainbow of promise. 
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
 Galatians 6:9 (ESV)

“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,and chastises every son whom he receives.” Hebrews 12:5-6 (ESV)

Do you have sin in your life that you need to turn from?

#3 Let praise be your battle plan

No matter what trial you face, you can choose praise over worry or fear. Choose to praise Him and watch as your worries fade and your faith grows. Read the story of King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20 to see what happened when he sent the worshipers before the army.  There are so many verses of encouragement in this passage, like, This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 2 Chron. 20:15 (NLT)

How can you turn your worries into praises today?

#4 God has already conquered your battle, you just have to walk through it in obedience!

God has already defeated our battles for us, we just have to walk through it trusting and obeying Him. Look at what the Lord told Joshua about the battle before him, And the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. ³ You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. ⁴ Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. ⁵ And when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him.” Joshua 5:2-5 (ESV) God had already delivered Jericho into Joshua's hand, Joshua just had to follow through on what the Lord instructed him to do in order to experience the victory. 

How can you view your trial as a battle already won? What do you need to do to walk through it in trust and obedience?

When storms come, set your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith. He will never leave you nor forsake you! God Bless!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-3 (ESV)