Lessons from the storm...

Anyone out there going through a storm? Anyone have a challenge that has tested your very faith? Anyone trusting God for some impossible stuff? Come on, tell the truth! I raised my hand! Well, I asked the Lord for a word to sustain and strengthen you today as you fight the good fight of faith. And you know what, He answered. He sent me to 1 Peter 1 and as I was turning to the chapter,  I heard Him say that there are lessons learned in the storm that can push you to your next level faster than anything else. Whoa! Blessed me!  It reminded me that out of my greatest struggles, have come some of my greatest gains. So I want to encourage you to check your perspective. Instead of looking at your problem, look at your progress! Instead of looking at your stress, look at the strength God has given you! Instead of looking at your pain, look at your prayer life. In most cases, God has used your struggles and challenges to grow and mature you in so many areas in your life. So, it made perfect sense for Him to lead me to this 1 Peter scripture. It felt like a quiet hug from God and when you're in the storm, there's no one that can love on you like Jehovah Machsi, the Lord our Refuge.

“So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. You love Him even though you have never seen Him. Though you do not see Him now, you trust Him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1:6-8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Peter was talking about those lessons that come from struggle…endurance, faith, trust! He was talking to people that are “pilgrims”, “foreigners”, “exiles”. Scholars have debated what is meant by that description  but the simple answer is that they were out of their comfort zone. If you are struggling in your life, I'm sure you can understand what that feels like. Struggle is not comfortable! But these verses remind you that if you keep your faith in Christ through the storm, you will get to an unexplainable joy! If you look at your situation for the lessons instead of focusing on the magnitude, you will end up coming through the fire as gold. If you remember and hold tight to the love and trust you have in Christ even though you can't physically touch Him, you will find such a surge in your faith that your circumstance can't hold you captive!

Listen, Saints! Look for the lessons and you will find that the test doesn't seem so hard to pass! Don’t believe me? Just watch!

Amen…