In light of the Storm, can we still trust God?

In light of the Storm, can we still trust God?

Many of us have heard about or seen the devastation from the huge tornado that tore through Moore, Oklahoma. Many people perished as a result. Also many were injured as a consequence and the lives of many people were disrupted by the massive damage caused. We also got to witness people helping and comforting those in need.  It is interesting that the best parts of human nature, love and compassion for others, comes out when there is great suffering due to tragic events.

 

When it comes to storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, we are told to take per-cautions, be prepared and do everything we can to keep our families safe. Yet in reality there is no way to tell what the "storm", or in this most recent event, the tornado is going to do. Tornados are very unpredictable and can shift direction in a moments notice. This means that those living in the path of the tornado are dealing with a situation that is totally out of their control.

In this life we will have to face the fact that there will always be situations that are out of our control. For example: We cannot control someones sin or other peoples decisions that can radically effect us, sickness, disease and death. The only thing we can control is how we prepare and react to the storms of this life. When a storm comes there is a chance we can experience extreme difficulty, pain and suffering and even death.  Usually the greatest question many will ponder is why would a good God would allow something terrible to happen where innocent people lose their lives. 

And does the fact that God allows for tragedy make God out to be not so good. 

The only way we can answer this question is to get to know God. Many people really don't have a clue who He really is. The question is what is the best source available to us to get to know Him? The answer is God has revealed who He is in the Bible.

Here are some important things that the Bible will reveal to us:

The Bible:
There are 66 books written by 40 authors under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

God desires to have a relationship with those He created. 

God is the creator of all things, and through Christ all things were made (see John   
Chapter 1). God is Loving, Holy, Just, All powerful, Sovereign........

That God's Word is inerrant and that in the Bible God will reveal all aspects of His plan,
His works, and His Character. The Bible is His-Story!

The Bible tells us the absolute truth about God and about man.

The Bible gives us answers to life's most important questions: who we are, why we are 
here, and is this life all there is?

The Bible tells us that sin separates us from God. The only one that can reconcile us 
back to God is Jesus. There is no work we can do to earn God's favor or pay Him back
for the cost our own sin. 

We learn that Christianity is not a philosophy of life; it is not based on theory or

speculation; it is not how well we follow the rules and regulations.   


Christianity centers
on our relationship with Jesus Christ.  

The Bible tells us how we can have a personal relationship with Jesus. The Bible 
reveals that once we receive Christ into our lives we are forgiven of our sin, We become
 Christ's Work on the cross for our salvation, the Holy Spirit indwells in us and we are 
 transformed us into a new creation. We understand that real life for God has purpose, 
 and God will give us special work to do for Him. 

We get to hear in Jesus’ very own words, His thoughts, His feelings, His desires, and His truths. We have an example in Jesus of obedience, servant leadership, humility, and sacrificial love that is second to none. 

The Bible, if taken to heart and applied, will change our perspective on life and eternity. God's Word will transform us from the inside out. 

     The Bible tells us how sin changed the world forever and tainted God's perfect creation. When sin entered the world death became a reality along with pain suffering and evil. The Bible tells us that living in sin has consequences.

 So when difficulties come, and we are wondering why God would allow something terrible to happen, whether it is a bad storm or just circumstances that cause us turmoil, the best way to process it is through a Godly perspective which can only come from God's Word - the Bible. It is also important that when life seems out of control we can turn to God's promises for comfort and Hope. Those who have a strong faith in God and the proper eternal perspective on life, manage better the way they navigate the difficult storms in this life. 

So what is a Godly eternal perspective, and how do I get one?

First let's go back to How sin entered this world. It started with the fall of man. Satan tempted Eve to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which she knew was forbidden by God. Eve acted on Satan’s temptation while Adam just stood by, not doing a thing to stop her.

Because of the actions of both Adam & Eve, sin entered the world and to this day we experience the painful effects of the sin nature. Because of sin, which can range from disobedience to God to outright acts of evil, we are going to face storms in nature along 
with storms in the physical and spiritual realms.

There is a great story from the Bible about how we are to handle the storms of this life.

Matthew 8:23-27 New International Version 1984 

Jesus Calms the Storm

Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”   He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

OK, so lets unpack this passage:

The Good:

The disciples followed Jesus into the boat.

The disciples called on the Lord when they felt they were in danger.

The disciples realized Jesus was more than just a man. He had the power to control nature and were in awe of His power.

The Bad:

The disciples show a lack of faith, fearing that they would die, even while in the presence of Jesus.

The disciples did not follow Jesus’ example by remaining calm during the storm.

Even though the disciples referred to Jesus as Lord, they still did not fully understand His power and who He really was.

The Uncontrollable:

The Storm

The Controllable:

The disciples amount of faith and trust in Jesus during a dangerous storm

The disciples should have followed Jesus’ example and remained calm but because

they allowed their fear to overtake them, they woke Jesus up to save them from what they thought was going to be their certain death.

so what can we learn – 

God is in control even when things seem out of control. God is much more powerful than any circumstance we will ever face. If we trust God, He will calm the inner storms of our life, and give us the perspective and strength we need to live in a fallen world. If we say that we trust Jesus as Lord, then we should be able to trust that He has a good plan for our lives. We should be able to trust that by His work on the Cross the He has saved us from certain death due to our fallen state; our sin nature.

Because we are human, there is a tendency to rely on our own instincts and wisdom. We are normally self-focused emotional and intellectual beings who process life apart from God. We tend to trust ourselves more so than God because we have a desire to be in control our own lives.

The Bible tells us:

Proverbs 3:7-8 New International Version 1984 

Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.
This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones

The above verse from proverbs can help us put some more perspective on how we are to trust God. The verse tells us not to be wise in our own eyes. I think it would be more profitable to trust in God who is Holy, wise, faithful, loving, all powerful and all knowing, rather than trust in ourselves, where we are imperfect, sinful, self-centered and strong willed. Therefore, the decisions we make in life may not always be beneficial because they may tainted by temptation and momentary emotion, over Godly wisdom and perspective. The world will tempt us to yolk with evil which can lead to our spiritual and physical destruction. The Bible tells us that fearing the Lord, which is centered around awe and reverence of His power and Holiness, is a healthier way to live.

Jesus explained that the nourishment He gives is supernatural and tied to believers after His work on the cross through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. In other words, our lives are connected to God in a powerful way through the Holy Spirit who has replenished our souls, brought on new life, rebirth and the new self. You see, once we are in the state of God’s grace, a follower of Jesus, is no longer condemned to live a life separated from God. We actually become a friend of God, a member of His family, and have access to Him through prayer, His Word, and the Holy Spirit.

Here are some of God's Promises that we can count on:

Romans 8:1 New International Version 1984 

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus

Ephesians 1:5 New Living Translation 

God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

 Philippians 4:6-7 New Living Translation 

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 7:7-8 New International Version 1984 

Ask, Seek, Knock

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Matthew 11:28-29 New International Version 1984 

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Ephesians 1:13 New International Version 1984 
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit

1 Corinthians 6:19 New Life Version 

Do you not know that your body is a house of God where the Holy Spirit lives? God gave you His Holy Spirit. Now you belong to God. You do not belong to yourselves.

Jesus explains the truth about the “living water” He gives:

John 7:37-39 New Living Translation 

Jesus Promises Living Water

On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”  (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)

John 4:13-14 New International Version 1984 

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

.

Once the living water begins to flow in us, the Holy Spirit can guide us, teach us, counsel us and sanctify us so we become more like Jesus in character and mind.

Titus 3:5
he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

John 14:26 New International Version 1984 

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

John 16:13-14 New International Version 1984 

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.

Ephesians 4:22-24 New Living Translation  

throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

Trusting God means allowing the Holy Spirit to be in control

Galatians 5:16 Amplified Bible 

But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God).

So trusting God means we need to live a life set apart to Him so he can produce in us a new mind a new heart

Romans 12:1-2 New Life Version 

Christian brothers, I ask you from my heart to give your bodies to God because of His loving-kindness to us. Let your bodies be a living and holy gift given to God. He is pleased with this kind of gift. This is the true worship that you should give Him. Do not act like the sinful people of the world. Let God change your life. First of all, let Him give you a new mind. Then you will know what God wants you to do. And the things you do will be good and pleasing and perfect. 

Trusting God means that even when we are faced with difficult situations we remember what God has accomplished on the cross and rejoice in that fact. Plus we know God said that He has a good purpose for all those who love him.

John 16:33 New International Version 1984 

 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Romans 8:28 New International Version 1984 

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 

Trusting God means not leaning on our own understanding.

Proverbs 3:5-6 New International Version 1984 

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. 

 So when we are faced with storms in this life, we will either trust God or trust in ourselves. What we do know as followers of Jesus is, that trust and faith in God is important to living a God-centered life. When we live a God centered life we have a Godly eternal perspective which reassures us of the hope we have in God’s plan for our eternity. We are secure regardless of how crazy this world is gets. This fact remains for followers of Jesus, in light of the storm we can still trust God. Remember this: God has a an awesome plan for our lives now and for all eternity;

Jeremiah 29:11 New International Version 1984 

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 

God's Word really does answer the important questions about God and about life.

So when God allows a tragic event to take place, only He really knows the eternal purpose behind it. We struggle to see that same purpose only because we are limited in perspective and knowledge and we are not God. Remember we are His creation therefore He is still the only Sovereign one over all things. Here is a passage that may shed some light on this. 

.

Isaiah 55: 8-9 New International Version 

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,”declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth,so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

 Also, God was not required to save us or rescue us from our sin. He decided to do so out of love for His creation.

Romans 5:8 New International Version

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  


This side of heaven does not answer all our questions, especially the ones that involve suffering and death but it does tells us that God's original design for His creation was corrupted. The sin that entered the world altered God's perfect creation. But maybe even a greater point is that God did something about it and planned a rescue mission to save people from the consequences of that original sin. Therefore, we have a God who demonstrates sacrificial love through Jesus in the midst of our tragic sin nature. He paid the price for our salvation, a price we are unable to pay.  

God is always trying to get our attention and maybe this tragedy will be the one that will turn people back to Him. Maybe that is the part we can truly understand.  God, out of love for those He created, still desires to save us from the tragedy of eternal separation from Him.

John 3:16 New International Version

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Just Sayin........................Dave