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

Counselor’s Corner: Walk By Faith Not By What You See

If you determine the outcome of a situation based upon what you see in the physical, you can lose heart quickly and grow weary. The enemy wants you to focus on what you see, not on God’s promises. When you have been praying about a situation for a long time and what you see is what appears to be the exact opposite of your prayers, your faith will be challenged. It is easy to have great faith when your prayers are being answered, but when your prayers seem to go unheard, there will be a test in your faith.

God gives promises and certain scriptures to believe for in your difficult and challenging situations. When those situations increase in difficulty and you have believed for years for change and nothing appears to be happening, you must develop your Christian maturity. Christian maturity is believing God’s Word and His faithfulness when everything around you says the opposite.

Reflect and ponder: Are you walking in faith or have you stared too long at your situations and believed what you see instead of what God has promised?

Counselor’s Corner: When the storms of life hit, they can seem stronger than God’s Word. If you walk by what you see, you will rely upon fleshly instincts and temporal pleasures to make decisions. Walking by faith in contrast is being absolutely convinced and assured of what you hoped for and believe according to the promises of God in the Scriptures is going to come to pass. Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him.”

Faith = trusting God completely. When you trust God in all things, a deep and abiding peace can cover you. Trust can be defined as the belief that someone or something is reliable, good, honest or effective. Do you trust God with all your uncertainties in life? Unlike men, God never lies and never fails to fulfill His promises.

Your faith is most tested when what you have been praying for looks hopeless and lifeless. Faith can be defined as an unquestioning belief in God, and complete trust and reliance upon God’s promises. Your faith is likened to a muscle, the more you use your faith muscle, the more it will be strengthened-No exercise of faith=a weak faith. When your faith can be tested over and over again, your faith muscles will become strong. You will never know if your faith is genuinely real until it has been tested and tried. It is easier to believe God and His Word when all is going good, but when it seems you have been living a life of losses like Job; your faith will either be made strong or your faith will be weakened in those times. Doubting God’s promises or His goodness can cause anxiety, worry, fear, and discouragement. Stand on God’s Word by believing He will fulfill His promises to you, even if it looks the opposite of what you are believing for or you have been travailing over the same promises. What has God promised you about your children, your health, your finances, your marriage? Set you mind to believe God by faith about what He has promised you through His Word.

MEDIATE ON THESE SCRIPTURES:

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

2 Corinthians 5:7

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not yet seen.

Hebrews 11:1

Daily Encouragement: Counselor’s Corner by Stephanie R. Reck, LMSW, LBT, BCCC : Being Still When the Storms of Life Pass By

Being still is an act of faith when “storms” blow your way.

Our normal reaction to when “storms” come our way is panic, fear, and anxiety. Recall the story in Matthew 4 that discussed how Jesus and His disciples got on a boat to get across the Sea of Galilee, and Jesus fell asleep when the winds and waves came crashing into their boat. Jesus remained asleep during the turbulent storm, but remember how the disciples got panic-stricken and their hysteria awoke the sleeping Jesus. What did Jesus do? He calmly commanded the wind and the waves to,” Be quiet and still.” Was this account a lesson that we can gain further from? Yes, Jesus wants us to remain calm until our “storm” passes by trusting Him completely-even when or even if__________________ (you fill in the blank). I believe the lesson for the disciples that day on the boat was Jesus teaching them to trust Him. Trusting Jesus when our lives and circumstances seem out of control takes discipline. The first few “storms” of life you very likely will react in fear or panic, but if you been through a few “storms” in life, you know Jesus is going to come through. You may not know how or when He will come through, but you have been through enough “storms” to know that reacting in worry, anxiety, and panic and fear NEVER, EVER work! You can testify, “been there, done that, ain’t going back!”

The “storms” we encounter in life can be likened to a tornado (which is a mix of problems all at once), a category 5 hurricane (this is major stuff like prodigal children, death, life threatening illness), flooding (the same problems that seem to go on and on), and thunderstorms (minor issues like sickness, stress-related work issues).

A very severe storm rolled through my town a few days ago bringing high winds, heavy rain, lightening and tornadoes. This storm lasted all day, but eventually this storm that seemed to never end eventually passed and the sun soon followed behind this massive storm. During this storm I took shelter, prayed, and waited the storm out. The “storms” in our lives will pass by quicker if we remain calm, and wait on the Lord to come to our rescue. Maybe you have a “storm” in your life that keeps coming back or one that does not leave. I understand I live with a “storm” that goes away but seems to come back. There can be peace in the midst of the storm. Take for instance paraplegic Joni Earkeson Tada who has been paralyzed from the shoulders down for 50 years, and yet it would appear her “storm” never left her. But what if she learned to “dance in the rain” Jesus does say we can have joy despite our deepest troubles, but I am also convinced that Jesus gives us times when He removes the “storms” even if it is just in our minds. In other words, the “storm” may still be physically present in your life but Jesus can give you moments where you don’t think about your “storm.”

Reflect and ponder: What is your typical reaction when the “storms” of life come your way? Fear, worry, doubt, anxiety, or panic? What do you believe Jesus would like you to do when “storms” come or even stay a while?

Counselor’s Corner:

How to remain still during the “storms” of life:

Definition of still: not moving; deep silence and calm.

1.      Remain still means not rehearsing, replaying, or rehashing your “storms” to every person you come in contact with. There is power in your words, learn to speak to your “mountains” instead about them-this releases our faith. God is moved when we react in faith. The more we talk about our problems the bigger they get. What we magnify whether good or bad is where our level of faith will stay at. Say to your mountain (your problem), “Be removed and cast into the sea.” (Matthew 21:21), believing in faith without doubting that your “storm” must move on.

2.      When any severe weather comes, usually we take shelter. We should do the same when “storms” of life come, run to our protector immediately! Ask for Abba Father’s protection and that He would cause your “storm” to dissipate. Ask the Lord to strengthen your spirit during the “storms,” and to work out for your good your “storm.”

3.      Worship. Give thanks. Praise. Offer a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving during and even after your “storm.” CHOOSE to magnify your blessings daily by either saying them verbally or writing them out.

4.      Speak the Word of God over your circumstances. Even if you have been praying for over a decade for a situation that seems insurmountable-press in and keep speaking the promises of God into those ‘dead, dry bones.” The prayers of the faithful go on and on even in eternity.

Don’t try and figure out how you can stop, change or move your “storm.” If a tornado was fast approaching your house would you run outside and try and stop that tornado? Of course not! This also applies to the “storms” in our lives, some of our “storms” can only be stopped, changed or moved by Jesus. Our job is not to stop our “storm,” but to run to The Shelter and ask Him for peace in the “storm”, to rescue us, and then we are to wait calmly for His rebuke to our “storm.”

JESUS CAN CALM YOUR STORM. PEACE, BE STILL and KNOW THAT HE IS GOD. GOD IS OVER EVERYTHING, EVEN THE RAGING STORMS.

MEDITATE ON THESE SCRIPTURES:

Be still and know that I am God.

Psalm 46:10

·         Remember the definition for still means not moved; deep silence and CALM.

He calms the storm, so that the waves are still.

Then they are glad because they are quiet; so He guides them to their desired haven.

Psalm 107: 29-30

Truly my soul waits quietly for God; From Him comes my salvation.

He is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense;

I shall not be greatly moved.

Psalm 62:1-2