Have you ever noticed how sometimes when one storm passes . . . another is already forming to test your faith? The Southeast United States experienced tropical storm Ida in 2021, but if you live in Puerto Rico, you understand the concept of one storm after another. In 2017 according to most reports, Hurricane Irma took out 75% of the electrical power grid in Puerto Rico. Sources which generate electricity were decimated. Approximately 60% of the housing was deemed uninhabitable. Drinking purification systems were destroyed, and just when people’s lives were lost or ruined— along came Hurricane Maria—a category five hurricane with 160 mph winds. Anything and everything that was not leveled by Irma was now gone. More than 20 lives were lost, and hope was now nothing more than a fleeting pipedream.
I considered some storms in my life, and I’m sure you could list some of the storms you have been through; some big—some not so big. Storms nonetheless! I want to suggest that it is not the absence of the storm you’re really wanting, but what you need is PEACE in the middle of the storm.
In Acts 26, Paul is standing trial in front of King Agrippa, and then in Acts 27 we find Paul and other prisoners aboard a ship headed for Rome. Trying to make up time, the ship’s captain decided to take a more dangerous route so, when the storms come, the ship is being destroyed. That is when Paul, a prisoner, stood and said: “I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost . . .” That’s what this passage of Scripture is all about—amid a storm, there is peace.
It doesn’t matter what you are going through; do not be afraid. There will be more storms, but God will be there with you. Have faith that God will see you through in the middle of your storm! In Psalm 46:1 (NIV), the psalmist writes: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” I put this to the test week-after-week, and God’s Word is true! He was and He is there all the time! You can experience God’s power and love during a storm when all else seems to go askew. Don’t worry or fret about the storm you are going through. Don’t worry about the stuff—it’s all expendable. Remember, peace is not the absence of a storm—it is peace in the middle of your storm. I want to suggest some ways for you and me to respond through all life’s storms: FIRST: Develop an intimate relationship with God. Know Him and know His character. Come to know God personally! You must spend time with Him to get to know Him.
SECOND: Spend quality time in the Word of God. While the world is unstable and storm-filled, the Bible is stability in an unpredictable world. When everything else is upheaval and an unending change, the Word of God is the only constant.
THIRD: Spend time with God’s people. Find a church—fellow believers are important! Jesus didn’t call ONE disciple—He called 12. When storms and trials come, believers need to pray and support one another. God’s people will help you through the trials, the hard times, and the storms.
FOURTH: Learn to be patient and have endurance. Patience is letting your motor idle when you feel like racing the engine in high gear! Endurance means to persist, to press on, to hang on, and to struggle on.
I encourage you to overcome— to tie yourself to Jesus. In the storm, He is the solid rock. You can depend on Him for everything. You see, the storms are always conquered when you share in His presence.
Always in His Service, PastorRon Pastor, Fellowship Church of the Nazarene