While on the airplane heading back home from a short but very meaningful visit with my oldest closet friend, the flight began to take on some changes the left some of us scared of the unknown.
We were smooth sailing for most of the trip and then the pilot got on about an hour out from landing and said we were about to hit some bad weather and that we were to stay in our seats, buckle up and under no circumstances should we get out of our seats. As we traveled further, heading into the Dallas Fort Worth area, the plane began to experience sever turbulence and at one point it became very scary. You could see the nervousness in people’s faces as the plane began to rock and they were holding tightly onto their seats. I closed my eyes and began to pray, asking God to calm the storm, to bring some peace about clouds and to bring us back to smooth sailing. As I was praying I was reminded on this truth and the power behind it.
You see we so often go through life in somewhat of a smooth sailing mode. We more often then not don’t allow ourselves to process feelings or emotions because we do not have time to feel pain and walk through some of the storms that may lie ahead. Many of us truck through life with our heads barely above water and try at all costs to avoid the storm ahead. We fear the bumps and bruises that we may encounter and we allow fear, shame and guilt to blind our vision of the foundational truths about our God. We fear what we may loose and we forget that no matter we are going through, no matter what we have done or not done that our God will be there no matter what. He will be guiding us, holding our hands and taking us step by step to grieve, to overcome and to lead us to a place of freedom. A place where we can finally sit down, relax and a place where we can finally breathe again.
You see, the pilot saw the storm ahead. He knew it was there, he knew we needed to push forward and he knew we needed to go into it head first, knowing there would be major bumps in the journey. Yet, he knew with confidence we would get through it and he knew after we proceeded to persevere through the toughest most weary part of the storm, we would come out on he other side of it with strength, courage and we would go back to smooth sailing. He knew once the we got through the storm we would be right where we were supposed to be. He knew we would get to our destination and that we would land safe and sound.
And that’s where God comes in and shows his face bigger and brighter. You see we are going to enter turbulence and we are going to have to walk through some really stormy situations in our lives. We are going to feel as though we cannot take on or tackle what is before us and we are going to feel as though there is no way we are ever going to get through the darkness and the unknown that lies ahead. We more often than not forget about how the strength and power of God can carry us through and we so often try to tackle to storm by ourselves. But if we allow God in, allow him to take control and lead the way, we will be able to conquer the storm ahead with a confidence and a reassurance that although the journey may be painful and hard to walk through, that once we get through it we will have a sense of relief and of freedom. We will be able to to look back at some point and see that the wounds and bruises we encountered through the thickest part of the storm are now scars, a reminder of what we overcame and a reminder of the healing’s that took place.
The storms we encounter through life help mold and shape us. I can look back at my own life and honestly say that the roughest and toughest parts of my journey, the parts where I was face down on the floor begging and pleading with God to bring some sort of relief to the emotional pain I was experiencing, to relieve me from the darkest nights of my soul have turned out to be the greatest gifts and blessings I have received from Him. Those storms I went through were actually a blessing in disguise. They humbled me, they forced me to seek his face, lean into him and they allowed me to be helpless, in a place of despair and desperation, a place where I shouted out to him and I place where I saw him meet me, love on me and a place where he resurrected and redeemed what I thought was dead.
I know with every ounce of my being the fear that comes with having to embrace the storms ahead. I tried for so many years to avoid the storm at all costs. To push down the pain, abandonment and rejection and continue through life as it was “normal” and “fine.” I was scared to encounter the pain I would experience if I actually allowed myself to feel all that was before me and it ultimately left me in a place of deeper emotional and physical pain. I eventually hit rock bottom and eventually handed my life over to the Lord. He did, and continues to do a great work in me. I have tackled so many of the dark clouds that were hanging over my head and I got through many bumpy, rocky, high turbulent storms, landing safe on the ground. I have learned that I would rather tackle the storm ahead and embrace all the pain, hurt and wounds that come with it, ultimately leading me to a place of peace and freedom then truck through with my head barely above water, reliving day in and day out the grief and heartache of my circumstance.
We have to come to a place of realization that there are some choices we have control over and this is one of them. We can enter a storm knowing it will be rough and painful, but knowing when we are done traveling through it we will come out of it smooth sailing, or we can live our lives in constant turbulence, not knowing when the next bump or bruise will take us out for the count.
My prayer for you today is that no matter what you are walking through that you would allow God to take control of your life and that you would be willing to weather the storm before you with a confidence and reassurance that he will get you through it. That He will not allow you to get burned or sink and that he will go before you, guiding and persevering the storm along with you, head first. Tackling the roughest, scariest parts of the storm but he will get you through and you will land you on solid ground. Trust him, seek him and you will find freedom and a new vibrant life through him. I am a true living example of allowing him to be the pilot, me the passenger, and allowing him steer and direct the route we need to take in the journey to bring me closer to him, to be purified to me more like him and allowing him to give me the needed strength and confidence to persevere any storm that comes before me.
I will say it over and over again. I don’t know all there is to know about life but I do know this imperative truth and I stand firm on it. God is the way, the truth and the light. If it wasn’t for handing my life over to him, giving him complete control and reign over me, I would be lost maybe even dead. He saved me from the pit of darkness and has brought me a peaceful, vibrant life through him. It’s not always easy and sometimes I doubt and question things but no matter what I encounter or walk through I know he has me. Holding my hand, guiding me and helping me keep my eyes focused on him and his unfailing faithful love for me and I pray each of you will come to know the same.
Love you all and praying for each of you today. May God fill you with an undeniable peace and joy today and may you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there truly is no other way besides him.. Many many blessings