“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
When was the last time you were caught in the midst of an unexpected storm? I am talking about the kind that falls from the sky in the form of rain or snow. With today’s weather apps and news alerts, it’s somewhat difficult not to know the predicted forecast, but the weather reports somehow slipped our attention on Sunday. The snow began to fall as we prepared to head home from an overnight visit. The big, fluffy flakes were beautiful as they gently glided toward the ground. Our homeward journey took us up and over the scenic Shenandoah Mountain, presenting a much different scenario. The snow came down hard, the roads were covered, and visibility was limited. Winter is not over, and we were definitely in a snowstorm. After navigating the mountain safely, much to our surprise, the snow was not relenting as we approached the Interstate. While some find navigating a snow-covered mountain harrowing, I prefer the mountain to an Interstate Highway in a snowstorm any day! In either situation, there is a playbook all should follow. Slow down, turn on your lights, stay in your lane, and keep your foot off the brake are courses of action we can take to hopefully ensure a safe arrival at our destination.
The other storms that usually leave a more lasting impression on our lives are the storms of life. An unexpected doctor’s report, financial crisis, death of loved ones, and broken relationships are just a few of the various circumstances that can turn our world upside down. Sometime in our lives, we will all face these kinds of storms. They are almost always unexpected, unrelenting, and challenging to navigate. We don’t have absolute control over the storms of life in which we find ourselves. But we have the ability to choose how we will respond; we choose the playbook. As Christians, our course of action is to turn it over to God in prayer; ask for wisdom and relief; leave the outcome up to God; thank Him for the chance to grow and learn; then rest in the promise of His abiding presence.
O.S. Hawkins writes, “This is the one promise that is woven like a thread throughout the entire Bible, showing up time and again throughout the Scriptures, all the way to the very last verse of the last chapter of the last book, Revelation.” When King Jehoshaphat faced a threatening army of Ammonites and Moabites, the prophet spoke saying, “Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you” (2 Chron 20:17). David wrote in the Psalms that he “feared no evil, for you are with me” (Psalm 23:4). Christ ascended into heaven declaring, “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt 28:20). Hawkins affirms, “There is no promise in the entire Bible repeated so many times, to so many different people, in so many different circumstances, as this one, “I am with you always.”
When the storms of life bear down on us unexpectedly; when the way ahead is not visible because our eyes are clouded with fear and doubt; the squalls of pain and disappointment are unrelenting; and the challenges seem too slippery to navigate; cling to, believe, and remember: He is with you, always. And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.