Musings from Graceland

FACING THE STORMS OF LIFE

I appreciate our church pastor for many reasons. One of things I appreciate the most is that he shares his pulpit a couple of times a month with other teachers and preachers. He does this for two main reasons. He first does this because he knows he won't be around forever and he wants to be raising up the next generation of preachers and teachers. The second reason he does this is because he knows that different preachers and teachers bring different things to the pulpit. He knows he can't do it all, teach it all, see it all, or be gifted in all areas. About once a month, his son-in-law, Larry Pate, preaches. I love my pastor's preaching. Brother Freddie is an amazing communicator of God's word as well as being a strong, supportive, loving shepherd. As much as I soak up his teaching, I love hearing from the others who share and Larry's sermons are no exception.

This Sunday, he preached on facing the storms in life that come our way. Whether it is enduring and then recovering from a literal storm, such as when Hurricane Katrina hit our state, or whether it is another type of storm such as physical illness, loss of job, or marriage problems, God allows storms for various reasons.

Larry shared about the four main reasons he sees for storms:

1. You are rebelling against God. You may be blaming others for the storm you are going thru when the one person to blame is yourself. Romans 1:18-23. If that is the case, you need to repent. II Chronicles 7:13-15

2. God is trying to move you to to a place He can use you. You might not be in a bad place, you might be in a good place, but God wants to move you to use you in a new way or bless you in a new way. The story of Jonah is a good example.

3. God is preparing you for something extraordinary. That storm and the lessons you learn and the ways He changes your outlook might be what needs to happen before you are ready to do something bigger than you were ready for before the storm. Matthew 14:28-30

4. God is reminding you that this world is not your home. Heaven is the true home of those who follow Jesus and sometimes you need to be reminded of that. I Peter 2:11-12, 18-20

Larry ended his sermon with Laura Story's song BLESSINGS. Her husband has had a brain tumor that has caused intense physical and mental problems for him the majority of their marriage. Yet she is still able to write these words and sing them as truth.

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

All the while You hear each spoken need
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You're near?

What if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough

And all the while You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You're near?

And what if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?

When friends betray us, when darkness seems to win
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We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It's not our home

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You're near?

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst
This world can't satisfy?

And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?

Praying you find your blessings waiting amidst the storm.