Faith Shows Us God Is in Control of the Storm
- Vernita "Neat" Simmons
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Faith does not exempt us from storms; instead, it intensifies them because of our overwhelming trust in God. Then, the enemy uses this and tries to weaken our faith in Him. Somewhere, a storm is brewing and on the prowl for its next victim. They can be unpredictable, as Hurricane Charley was when it hit Fort Myers, Florida, in August 2004. Though the alerts had gone out, its projected aim was Tampa, but Charley had other plans and headed for Fort Myers. It went from a category three to 4 within minutes, which is quite unusual. It was one of the strongest storms ever to strike the United States. I was there, and I still remember its impact.
Our lives face storms that come to make us panic, lose hope, and accuse God. They can come as a divorce, health issues—death of a loved one—an unstable economy, and even the unexpected. For those whose hope is in the Lord, our faith in Him becomes our anchor. Still, our faith in the Lord could make the storm more powerful. However, if we succumb to challenges, struggles, and sorrows to overtake us, the battle is over before it begins. (James 1:3, AMP).
Still, we have this assurance that faith does not remove the storm; it reminds us who is in control. Like when Charley hit, it was my first experience with an actual hurricane. Dear One, it is far different from seeing it unfold on the news. Before it touched down in our community, instead of panicking, I put my faith in God into action. I walked around our home and prayed, not only for us, but for everyone.
Though Charley showed up and showed out, God showed up and showed him who was in control. The Bible tells us in Mark 9:23, NLT, that everything is possible for those who believe, and I knew the Lord would keep us safe, and He did. The entire area experienced a power outage for several days, and a kind neighbor went above and beyond to help us. Likewise, we lost a few shingles from the roof without any damage to it. Floridians pulled together, shared, and helped one another as Hebrews 13:16 encourages us to do.
From August 9-15, Charley prevailed and did substantial damage in southwest Florida. However, we were not alone. Dear One, though storms come for everyone, faith reminds us that we are never facing them alone. God is our shelter from the storm, and He is for us and not against us, while walking with us through the darkest valley. Most of all, the Lord promised never to leave nor forsake us. (Romans 8:31-33; Psalms 23; Hebrews 13:5).
I pray that the song, The Lord is With Me brings you hope to declare He is ever-present in your hour of need.
TIME FOR REFLECTION: Let's encourage someone today. Share with us a time when your faith revealed that God was in control of your circumstances. Share this devotional and remember to hit that heart!
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