(Foreword by J. Qubty – our God is the boat that carries us through the storms of life. Without Him we would sink and drown in our troubles. With Him we always have that security we cling to, just as we would cling to the boat during a storm.)
“The LORD spoke to Job out of the storm.” As I read those words they seemed to pierce right through to my heart. Have you ever felt like you were taking it from every direction? The money’s short and the bills need paying…marriage has gotten hard and the boss is on a tear…the kids are sick and you’d just like a vacation. Maybe you’re just tired of trying to be three places at once. The storm is raging, and your ship is taking on water. The LORD spoke to Job out of the storm…the words stay on my mind. Where’s the peaceful valley, the still waters?
Sometimes I lay in bed at night and the ringing in my ears won’t stop. The guttural crying of a loved one is caught in my spirit. Worry dampens my joy. My mind races around telling me what I need to do tomorrow and what I did wrong yesterday. The clouds of my past begin to roll in and the thunder won’t let me find rest.
“And the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm.” Right when his life had seemed perfect and blessed the storms rolled in and crushed everything. Job lost his livestock and his servants. He could deal with losing stuff…but then he buried all his children. Life doesn’t get harder than that. And even as the waves continued to crash into his shipwreck, his soul was asked to endure more.
Have you ever felt the whispers of friends or had the eyes of judgement cast upon you? Surely you must deserve the pain you’re going through. You didn’t take care of yourself…you lost favor with God…your past has come back to haunt you… Job heard it all! Don’t let the ebb and flow of the ‘what if’s’ creep into your mind. The devil loves to guilt us. Don’t forget – God’s voice is louder than the storm.
While a single mom tries to feed her children, a father digests the word ‘cancer.’ I watch another mourning widow and my own heart is gripped in fear. It hangs on like the barnacles on the bottom of that ship. Security feels so fleeting. The waves of doubt grow higher as I huddle inside the walls of my humanity. And then I stop and breathe. I forget that Jesus walked on those waves. I have forgotten that a single word from Him put the tempest to rest. I ask Him to speak to mine.
Where is your storm and who is your Savior? It’s difficult to tune out the chaos. But hold your ears to the wind and listen. Find your peace in the One who loves you. “And the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm.” Find Him in yours.
Be blessed
~Diane Qubty