Challenged To The Core - Del Brixey

Life can change in a moment; the mundane can become the extraordinary, the easy the unattainable or the unnoticed the sought after. A “storm” in our life can literally turn our world upside down. Despite our best efforts to prevent them we will never be 100% effective because storms are like the wind, we may hear them coming but sometimes we cannot tell where they come from or where they are going (John 3:8). We become the hapless victims of circumstance unable to avoid their turbulent effects in our life. But for all of their power and might, they always leave giving us the opportunity to reclaim our lives after their gone. Think about tough times you have lived through or are experiencing at this very moment in your life. What can you reclaim from the “storm”?

Security - “The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!" Matthew 8:25. Security can even be reclaimed in the midst of the storm when we turn to Jesus. When the storms of life begin to rage we often wait to see how “we” can handle things. When we turn to Christ before, during or after the storm we are able to experience His ultimate security. It’s just a matter of how long we want to worry about everything by ourselves before we seek His help. Many times we can even avoid the “storm” if we have been listening to God’s weather reports on a daily basis. Regardless of our timing, Jesus can help us reclaim our security when we place our “storm” in His hands.

Teaching - “Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm…” Job 40:6. No one can dispute that Job had his fair share of problems. He had lost his wealth, his family, his health and even the support of his wife and friends. It was after all of these events that “the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm”. Storms can give us insight that we might not understand without the interruption of the status quo in our life. When our world is upside down we tend to get a whole new perspective on life whether we want it or not. However, our tendency is to complain about the “storms” versus searching through the ruble to discover the gems of wisdom that God has unearthed. Don’t get me wrong, I understand the strong grip of depression and grief that comes from tragedy, but having those “feelings” and becoming victim to them are two different things. We can either be mastered by the storm or turn to the Master.

Obedience - “The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!" Matthew 8:27. What an experience; to be in the presence of Jesus after He calmed the storm! The disciples were “amazed” that even the “winds and the waves obey him”. We could be tempted to say, “Why didn’t they get it?” when we are just as slow to pick up on the power available to us through Christ. The question we must ask ourselves is whether or not we will become as obedient as the “winds and the waves” when Christ speaks to us out of our “storm”. Whether our lesson is in the midst of the trial, or in the reclamation process, our choice is the same; to be obedient or not to God.

Rebuilding - “The Lord blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the first.” Job 42:12. God wants to take whatever we experience in life and use it to “build” or “rebuild” us. In Jeremiah 29:11 it says that the Lord has "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Whatever you are going through at the moment God wants to use it to “build” into your life. He can take even the smallest event and use it as mortar or stone to make you stronger. Allow Him access to your life. Give Him permission to show you the plans and let the rebuilding begin.

Maps - “He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven.” Psalm 107:29-30. We often believe that storms get us off track. They take us away from where we are trying to go and increase the difficulty in reaching our destination. But sometimes storms reveal a different “map” for our life than what we had planned. Think about people who have been in a horrible accident or have been diagnosed with a tragic illness but they have used their experience to take their life in a new direction. Sometimes the storms of life bring us to a new place in our life. We discover a new “map” if you will for living. I have heard many people express the gratefulness for their “storm” because it blessed their life in so many ways that would not have been possible before the “storm”. Make sure you check your map after a storm to be sure you are still headed in the right direction.