Tag: #Storm

Devotional

Growth in the Storm

kathrynhugheswriter

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. James 1:2-4 NLT

The rain pattered on my windshield. Three hundred feet ahead the trees were just dark shapes, obscured by the fog and rain. Hitting yet another pothole covered by water, I wondered if my car would fall apart or if my teeth would shake loose from the jolt. I’m ready for sunshine. I love the rain, but we’ve had so much more rain than usual in our dry region that I tire of the frequent storms.

On the other hand, I will never tire of the flowers that have come from the frequent rains! There are more blooms and they are lasting longer with the moisture. Plants grow quickly with the water. We need the rains for the growth that follows.

As I muse about the weather, the Lord reminds me the role of storms in our lives.

Storms hit in life. Problems, temptations, suffering, or sorrow may obscure our view of the Light. All seems dark and dismal. The potholes of life shake us as we go through them. The storm may last longer than we think we can endure. James tells us to consider the troubles as an opportunity for great joy, which seems a strange thing to consider, but the troubles lead to growth.

For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. James 1:3, 4 NLT

The New International Version states that another way.

because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:3-4 NIV

Photo by PhotoMIX Company on Pexels.com

It is often in the storms that we grow. Buffeted by the winds of change or the stormy trials, we turn to the Lord in desperation. We often seek Him in the storms of life more quickly than when we are basking in the sunshine of everything going well. Our heavenly Father is waiting for us to call to Him.

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. James 1:5–8 NLT

Let’s press in to the Lord when the winds blow and the storms come. He will give us wisdom. God will help us grow in our faith and endurance so that we may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Lord, I ask for Your wisdom in the trials. Grow my faith into a beautiful flower that glorifies You. Amen.

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Photo by Thierry Fillieul on Pexels.com

Top Photo by Sam Willis on Pexels.com

Scriptures marked NLT are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW LIVING TRANSLATION (NLT): Scriptures taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW LIVING TRANSLATION, Copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Scriptures marked NIV are taken from the NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV): Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®. Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™. Used by permission of Zondervan

I would love to hear from you. How is God working in your life?

Devotionals post every other Thursday, and are archived by month for your convenience.

God bless you.

Kathryn

Devotional

“Prepare for Storms: Eliminate Leaks”

kathrynhugheswriter

When Storm Clouds Gather  series devotional #3

By Kathryn Hughes

…clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for “God is opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.      (I Peter 5:5-7 NASB)

Leaks in our spiritual life are dangerous. Just as a leak in a boat can cause it to sink, leaks in our spiritual life will cause us damage. A leak may be sin in our life. It can be pride, or anything else that keeps us from following God wholeheartedly. One of my struggles is handling things on my own instead of giving them to God. I’ll make plans without even consulting Him, and then try to make my plans succeed. For instance, I realized part way in my planning of this devotional series that I was planning out what to say before asking the Lord what He wanted me to share. After I stopped to ask Him what to write, He sent me back to my Bible and computer-+.  Me, handle something better than God? That’s my foolish pride.

The Apostle Peter learned his lesson about pride. Jesus told His disciples on the night He was betrayed that they would all be made to stumble because of Him, but Peter was adamant that even if all the others stumbled, he would not. Even after Jesus told Peter he would deny Jesus three times, Peter said, “If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” (Mark 14:27-31 NKJV) Peter was relying on himself. To his great sorrow, he learned that his pride and confidence were not enough.

Sometimes the leak in our boat may be fear, or a lack of faith. Matthew 14:22-33 describes Jesus walking across the water through the wave-tossed sea. The disciples saw Him from the boat and were afraid, but Jesus told them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” At that, Peter said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” Jesus told him to come, and Peter did. He walked on the water. What faith!

But Peter’s faith sprung a leak; seeing the wind, he became frightened and began to sink. Peter cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus cared for Peter. He caught him by the hand and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

I can almost hear Jesus say the same thing to me. Can you? Why do we doubt? Why do we have little faith, when we have such a faithful God? Why do we allow sin to get in the way of our relationship with Him?

May we learn the lessons that Peter learned and shares with us. Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.  

Let’s plug our leaks before we sink. Let’s humble ourselves and really look at who we are and Who God is. May we carefully examine our motives, thoughts, and pride, and then confess our sin to the Lord. What fears and leaks in our faith need to be brought before Jesus? Let’s cast them on Jesus, for He cares for us.

Dear Lord Jesus, I confess my sin of pride. Please forgive me for doing things my way. Help me trust You and to hold on to faith when the waves are high. In Jesus’ powerful name, I pray. Amen.

Lighthouse in the storm image by mollyroselee from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/users/mollyroselee-9214707/

Boat in storm Photo by Myriam Zilles on Pixabay https://pixabay.com/users/myriams-fotos-1627417/

Devotional

When Storm Clouds Gather

kathrynhugheswriter

By Kathryn Hughes

Being prepared for a storm can make the difference in surviving it. This includes non-weather related tempests that occur such as health storms, sinking financial losses, relationship squalls, and being spiritually adrift.

In stormy weather, authorities warn us to be alert, to have a safe place to evacuate, to let people know where we are, and to have an emergency box with things such as food, water, protective clothing, and flashlights. Hurricane preparation includes boarding up windows and bringing loose items indoors. In wildfire prone areas like California, clearing a fire safe zone is necessary. Many of these instructions can also be applied in dealing with the whirling winds of the storms of life.

Over the next few months I’ll share how we can get through life’s downpours with help from our Lord God.

Lighthouse in the storm image by mollyroselee from Pixabay

Be Alert

 Be of sober [spirit,] be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in [your] faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. (I Peter 5:8,9 NASB)

Storms can come suddenly. Like a tsunami, life as we know it can be suddenly changed by a pandemic, a surprising disease diagnosis, or a relationship that ends. Other times we may have a warning. When a company files for bankruptcy and eventually terminates employment, it comes like an approaching hurricane.  The upcoming storm is known, but still brings damage. It helps us weather the storms when we are alert to what is going on, and we stay focused on Christ in the midst of a trial.

The Apostle Peter warned us to stay alert. Being aware helps us to see the devil’s traps. The devil would like nothing better than for us to get depressed and to turn away from our faith in God. If he can submerge us under a flood of despair and anger, it’s harder to stay focused on the blessings we have.

Resist him, firm in your faith. How can we do that? Regularly read God’s Word and commit Scripture to memory. Pray without ceasing. Ask God for help preparing for the storm.

Let’s gather our “emergency boxes” for life’s gales.

  • Write out Scripture and place it where it will be of encouragement. Let’s honestly evaluate areas of weakness that the enemy is prone to attack, and find verses that encourage us to be strong in that area. Use the verses to counter the enemy’s attacks like Jesus did when Satan attacked Him.
  • Tell trusted friends our prayer requests.
  •   Do whatever is helpful and needed to get through the situation. For example, go to appointments as needed. Keep connected with others, even if it is by phone.
  • Need a job? Get the resume ready. Network with others.
  • Gather information needed for that move, life style change, training, or other issues.

We are not alone in life’s storms. God Himself said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5 NKJV)

Dear Heavenly Father,

 I’m grateful that when problems toss me around in a storm, that I don’t have to go through it alone. Thank You for Your promise to never leave me. Please help me to follow You and trust You when I can’t see where I’m going. Please help me to resist the devil and the temptation to fear. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

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		Devotional
Coming Soon! “When Storm Clouds Gather”
	


	

							

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This has certainly been an unusual and difficult year. I found myself struggling with the social unrest, and with all of the changes caused by COVOID-19 restrictions. Like many of you, I felt like my life at work and at home was swirling about in a storm. I found I need to cast my anchor in faith in my Sovereign God. Out of that was born my upcoming series, When Storm Clouds Gather.





When Storm Clouds Gather is a devotional series aimed at helping us survive the storms of life. On a biweekly basis there will either be a devotional or a short thought or Scripture. The first devotional, Be Alert, will post this Thursday, August 6th. I hope it will help you as it has helped me.





Please leave your comments. How has God helped you? Is there a verse that is meaningful to you? I’d love to hear from you!