Dear friends, 

Lately, I struggled with few thoughts that  discouraged me. My mind asked questions like “Is God punishing me? Is God done with me?” These questions caused darkness to enter my thoughts and spiraled my soul to a dark place where I felt lost.  Do you know that place, too?

It’s so easy to become discouraged and so hard to stay strong. What do you do when faced with hardship? What do you do when you want to give up? Giving up is so easy because you don’t have to do anything or believe in anything. But to stay strong, you have to practice something and believe in someone.

In a recent morning devotional, I read Luke 8:22-25, and God spoke to me powerfully and answered all my questions. 

I noticed that Jesus sent His disciples into the storm knowing that they would face danger. Jesus sent His disciples into the storm not to harm them, but so they may encounter the power of God.

Paul Tripp said, “Why did Jesus send his disciples into that storm? He did it for the same reason he sometimes sends you into storms-because he knows that sometimes you need the storm in order to be able to see the glory. For the believer, peace is not to be found in the ease of life. Real peace is only ever found in the presence, power, and grace of the Savior, the King, the Lamb, the I Am.  That peace is yours even when the storms of life take you beyond your natural ability, wisdom, and strength.”

When I was in the ICU, God said to me, “Can you give thanks in all circumstances?” My first thought was are you serious God? You want me to give thanks in my condition? But, with tears in my eyes, I was able to say, “Yes, I give you thanks in my circumstance, and I worship you.”

I went mountain biking with my three Hindu friends 16 months ago. My main motivation was to build relationship with them so that they may come to know Jesus. I did not know that day that I would face a storm that only Jesus could calm. 

Is God punishing me?  Absolutely not, but He does send us into the storm to face danger so that we may encounter His power and His grace. Is God done with me? I understand that Jesus who controls the wind and the waters controls my future.

Therefore, I didn’t not need to know what is to become of me or have control over my body and life because I worship Him who is in control and knows my future. Jesus will not let you face the storms without going through it with you. He will go into the storm with you so that you would encounter His presence and His power.

So, my dear friends, give thanks and worship Jesus who controls your life and knows your future. You can never be alone in the storm because He lives in you. He is the strength of your soul who helps us to endure the storms with patients.