Storms of life

*Where is God when we hurt?

He’s right here with you. 

He hung on the gallows to prove once and for all, with pierced hands and bloodstained face—that He’s here—that He didn’t create the hurt, but He came to take it away.

When you hurt, God hurts with you.  When no one listens to you, God listens to you.  When you wipe away tears of frustration and anguish, in heaven there’s a pierced hand approaching a heavenly face wiping away a tear.

Sometimes storms of life come to teach us that God is in control, that we must learn to lean on Him and learn to be thankful for the richness of His blessings to us.

We should serve God even if there is darkness enveloping our life and even if we don’t understand what’s happening….even when the circumstances of our life don’t make sense:  Because He is worthy of praise, because He is GOD.

Lord, nothing is louder than the silence of our God.  But Father, forgive us for the times we’ve interpreted your silence as a lack of love.  Give us patience, for we know you’ll answer, Father, if only we’ll wait.

Help us to see what is important, what is eternal, and what is lasting.  Let us make decisions based on our eternal life and not on temporary possessions.  Lord, thank you for loving us. 

We pray, Father, that in the hours when we find ourselves in the dungeons of doubt, that you would hear our questions.  Forgive us for demanding that you answer our questions like we want them to be answered.  Forgive us for having certain expectations that we think you should meet.

Father, we look at Your plan and it’s all based on love.  We know You have been here—You’re carrying us through the valley, and you’re giving us strength.  We pray that You’ll help us be captivated by Your love.  To be overwhelmed by Your grace.  To come home to you in that beautiful path that you’ve already carved out for us.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

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(*Taken from Life Lessons: The Inspirational Study Bible, Max Lucado.)

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In memory of Dennis Schultz:

Uncle Dennis, you will be missed here on earth, but we find comfort and joy in seeing you again on that glorious day!

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