Favor in the storm

I stepped into yet another storm. While God has been great to me, this new phase is full of challenges from all places, including work, relationships, and ailing family members.

I’ve discovered that it’s easy to be caught up in the storm’s roar and wind, to stare at the dismal sky, and to be afraid of the birds flying around your head. You don’t know where to go, what to do next, or how to fix the situation because it isn’t always in your control.

When I reflect on my life, I see that the most wonderful blessings came from circumstances where I was unsure of the future and frightened of how things would turn out and what shape my life would take. It happened for my most important milestones and the most amazing gifts I’ve yet to thank God for.

In those moments, it is easy to cry and feel powerless. Sometimes you want to feel sorry for yourself and turn to negative situations since they mirror your feelings and may make it easier to deal with. I’ve found that no matter how black the storm is, God never lets you fall to the bottom; by His grace, He always catches you and places you next to others who need you just as much as you do.

And if you are overwhelmed and want to do too much while putting yourself second, you will not be able to grow as wonderfully and be an example to those around you. God infused you with grace and bestowed upon you gifts and potential that only you can bring to the world.

Learn to give yourself the energy you require first, and then serve others. This does not necessarily come from a material source; I discovered that talking to Jesus and going to prayer is the best thing you can do for yourself in times of hardship. He has a wonderful, gentle way of reminding you that everything will be OK in the end and that you should focus on Him rather than the storm. He’s our best friend and advisor, particularly during storms.

If things are getting too much for you and you can’t find tranquility, take a moment to smell the sunflowers. Notice their wonderful forms and bulbs, how they sit together, how they move during the growing process, and how, to bloom, they must rise and look for their creator in the sky.

And remember that you are never alone. There are people and holy spirits behind you, driving you on and advising you of your future steps. And if you’re not sure about that, remember that special people are waiting for you ahead, bouncing about in tears of joy, eager for you to reach the safe spot and share this life with them.

Dailies #6

Growing up as a child, I didn’t have a church built close to my home, up until late. The journeys to the house of the Lord were rare, and I’ve grown up mainly reading books of prayers and relaying on what my parents told me about my orthodox religion.

This changed a few years later when a group of Evangelical believers joined our small community and began holding weekly meetings on Sundays. They were such compassionate people, and the things they talked about God touched my child’s heart so deeply that I fell in love with Him.

I attended several meetings with them, and while I felt Christ’s joy and love for our life, it didn’t feel quite right. I resumed my usual prayers and worshiped God as I had before, and the love I felt afterwards was much stronger than before.

My life gradually changed but one thing remained constant. God was always with me and supported me through every hardship. Whenever I felt down or needed divine help, He was always there to hold me. As a result, I promised Him that I would grow spiritually every day, read a word of grace, pray, and worship Him even when I didn’t need something.

Word of Grace

In Matthew 18:21-35, Jesus told a parable about forgiveness. A king who forgave a huge debt was angry when the one he’d forgiven demanded from another debtor that he be paid a much smaller debt owed to him. The king held the man accountable, reminding us that God has forgiven us a debt that we will never be able to repay.

I was reminded of this story as I read the book of Amy le Feuvre, A Life of Christ for Little Children. Even though the book is written for children, I couldn’t help but be impressed by it. It depicts Jesus’ most important teachings and his life.

I will tell you a story. A friend had a business partner, and the man berated him in the hopes of having his task expedited, and he called for assistance from a team that operates in another city. To get to the location, the company would have had to spend more money and make the same decision that the friend in question would have done more easily.

Needless to say, the friend in question felt terrible, and he knew that he could complete the task in a matter of minutes. Furthermore, he had previously helped the partner, and considered him to be a close person. Obviously, the friend became frustrated and was perplexed as to why this had happened to him. I believe in the law of the Universe, and while he may have attracted that experience to him to some extent, the power to forgive is his own.

We can get wrapped up in what other people do or say, become annoyed and hold grudges. But how will that help? We’re simply carrying baggage that isn’t ours, which is dragging us down. What that man did is his issue, and if he choose to act like that, then he has to respond in front of God.

My friend could have been angry with that man. But he understood this principle that if we want to be forgiven by the Almighty Father, we must forgive those who wrong us. The only things we should count in this world are our blessings and good experiences.

Colossians 3:13: “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”