Counselor’s Corner: Peace in the Storm

A definition for storm is a violent disturbance in the atmosphere. If you have ever encountered a hurricane, tornado or a severe thunderstorm you can testify that there is no peace in the atmospheric climate-destructive winds, torrential rains, and damaging lightening.

Our lives at times can mimic natural storms. When a “storm” comes into your life it can feel like you are being tossed to and fro, and like you are going to drown from the heavy amounts of oppression and weights of your trials. Storms of life can make you feel unbalanced and unstable, and they can have a tremendous effect on your peace. Have you ever tried to remain peaceful when 100 mph winds are whipping around your home during a hurricane? It’s not easy to remain peaceful when you feel at any moment your home may be destroyed. When you go through the storms of life, remaining in constant peace can be challenging but it can happen! You may at times react to your “storm,” reactions come in the form of fear, anxiety, worry and distrust. Don’t be so hard on yourself when you react to what is going around you that causes your stomach to sink and your heart to race, but GET UP and rebuke your storm! Jesus rebuked the storm by not reacting but calmly and assuredly saying, “Peace, be still.” (Mark 4:39). Jesus dwells in us, so we have the same authority over the storms in our lives.

Reflect and ponder: Have you felt the enemy stir-up the “storms” around you? Perhaps you thought that storm in your life had died down and yet here it comes again along with some other storms. The enemy is a master at stirring storms around us.

Counselor’s Corner: Regardless of the sender of the storm in your life, God can use each storm to teach you and to cause greater good to come from them.

Lessons from the storms you may encounter in life:

1.      God does have ultimate authority over every storm that comes into your life. Some storms are meant to teach and refine us, some are sent from the destroyer, and some storms we cause. Whatever the cause of the storm, we can ask God boldly to move our storm out of the way! If the storms stays a while, we can ask God to give peace in the storm. Get your eyes off the “storm” until it passes. You can feed your storm by giving it too much attention. “Starve” your storm by “feeding” your faith!

2.      Ask God what lessons He may be trying to teach you because of your storm-patience, trust, or becoming more mature spiritually. Maybe going through your storms will bring about a warrior for the Kingdom of God, one who is brave, courageous, and strong.

3.      There are times when you are hard pressed on every side so that what is deep inside of you will spill out. Spillage can be good if it leads to growth, and so that you can be more like Jesus.

4.      If you have been pressed and squeezed excessively hard and your “storm” is causing you to be physically, mentally and spiritually drained-ask God boldly to give you rest from the “storm,” and plead for God’s mercy. We are children of God, and I believe that there are times that we will suffer and undergo hardships but when they begin affecting us negatively to the point that we can no longer stand strong in the storm, it is time to ask God for aid quickly!

Sometimes we may not know who or what is the sender of our storms, but we can still take some steps to ensure that we will be taken to safer grounds: Rebuke the storm, ask for God to give peace in the storm if it remains, and plead for God’s mercy if you are going under as a result of your storm. If you remain in a storm, let praise become your warfare. Believe even when you are in the middle of your storm, that God can and still does miracles.

There are some things we learn on stormy seas that we never learn on calm smooth waters. The “God of the storm” has something to teach us, and His love always drives His actions.

Darry Deaube- “I will praise you in the storm.”

MEDITATE ON THESE SCRIPTURES:

He calmed the raging storm, and the waves became quiet.

Psalm 107:29

When the enemy comes in like a flood, the spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.

Isaiah 59:19