How am I viewing my own storms?
Along the coast nearby, there is a raised walkway. We took a risk and walked along it during a storm wanting to see the waves rush in and out beneath us.
Each wave pushed the shingle in and sucked it out again; entirely at the mercy of the sea. And each wave buffeted the solid rock again and again but it remained unmoved. Over time it would be smoothed and shaped by the storm, it’s hidden colours revealed.
What Was God Showing Me?
I turned aside to listen to God, knowing He was showing me something interesting. And saw that I was looking down on the waves rather than across at them as I would normally do.
If we consider these scriptures: ‘My life is hidden in Christ in God, for I died to this life.’ Colossians 3:3 And, ‘He raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with Him in heavenly places – because we are united with Christ Jesus!’ Ephesians 2:6 We see that we are seated with Christ in the heavenly realms. And should view things from a heavenly Christ minded perspective!
So I began to see more as God sees, in that He sees the beginning AND the end of the storm. Whereas for us, we see only the present trauma. So if we begin to see things from this heavenly perspective we will understand it for what it is, and see what God is doing with us in and through it.
Viewing Life’s Storms
Returning to the idea of looking down at the storm and referring again to Col 3:3 we see that we should also – be LOOKING UP! … (because we are human and have our feet planted firmly here on earth).
‘Since you have been raised to a new life with Christ, set your sites on the REALITIES of heaven where Christ sits in the place of honour at God’s right hand.‘
Col 3:3
So with this in mind I will be proactive in my thinking and not focus on the storm but focus on heavenly things and learn to trust God’s purposes and dealings with me.
I’m not saying that it is God that sends the storms (Jesus certainly found himself in one and look what we learnt from that!) But they happen, and we grow in them.
A Final Thought
’I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.’
Ephesians 316-19
Along with these thoughts on the storm runs a second thread of thought which is that of power. We have the fullness of power that comes from God in order to come through any storm. To overcome. To stand firm as rock and to be made beautiful by the buffeting waves.
Now that is a thought.
