It is so easy to worship God, when everything is going well. It’s easy to praise God for new jobs, health, wealth, good friends and family. What about when things don’t go so well? There are those in the Christian community that would say that it’s a faith issue. Job’s friends thought so. Job’s friends told Job to confess the sin he was hiding, so that God would bless him again. There’s a popular thought in Christian circles that if I’m sin free and I have faith, I will never be sick. I will never be poor. I will have wonderful friends and I will never go through a trial.
What kind of faith does it require to praise God in just the good times?If there ever were a test of our faith…If there ever were a test of our motives of worship—it is when a storm rolls into our life. Sometimes God calms the storms, but sometimes He chooses to ride along with us. What does it mean to praise God in THIS storm? Notice the emphasis…this storm implies that we are going through it right now. I had been singing it wrong. It’s easy to say that I will praise God in THE storm, because we are going through the storm, but the word THIS says, at least to me, that we are going through the storm at the current time and that I can praise God during the storm. So who is correct? If we are going through difficulty, does that mean that we’ve sinned? Does it mean that we don’t have enough faith? To say these things means that we haven’t looked at the entire word of God.
One of my favorite verses from years ago, comes from Romans 8:28.
“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.”
To be real honest, it sure doesn’t seem that way when you are in the middle of a storm. It’s difficult at best to get your bearings in the middle of a storm. But if we look at another writer he says,
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever, you face trials of many kinds…” Whoa back the truck up…We should consider trials a joy? Why is that? James continues, “Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything…” So according to James trials and testing and the storms of life are not evidence of our lack of faith, but evidence that our faith is there and needs sharpening. Perseverance through the storm hones our faith. It strengthens our faith. I like the words James uses here. James in effect is saying that without trials we can never become mature believers. We can never become complete in our faith. Without the storms our faith will lack strength. Storms serve to strengthen our faith. So how do we praise God in THIS storm?
David writes in Psalm 121, “I lift up my eyes to the hills where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed he who watches over Israel will neither slumber or sleep. The Lord watches over you—the Lord is the shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”
We must remember that God has a plan for our life and it’s not of ours. God is God !
5 Comments
November 18, 2007 at 6:44 pm
Well preached. His Word is Living, sharper than ANY double edged sword. Amen to that sister.
November 18, 2007 at 9:22 pm
I recently found a video and posted it to my blog. Your post reminded me of it:
http://zachlassiter.wordpress.com/2007/11/08/video-worship-is/
As someone told me when your a christian your a warrior for God and sometimes its not easy.
November 18, 2007 at 10:16 pm
Heidi,
You nailed it again! You are right on. Thanks for preaching from the whole word of God.
Know that you are loved,
gaj
June 28, 2008 at 3:35 am
When this storm doesn’t seem to end, it gets tough, but He is the only bright spot on some days. The day can be completely overcast, with darkness on the horizon yet once I begin to praise some light breaks through the clouds and I can see a glimpse of what’s ahead. Just a glimpse helps.
I will continue to praise Him in this storm.
Thanks, Heidi, I needed the reminder.
November 10, 2009 at 5:38 pm
thank u heidi for using your gift of writing to share such wonderful Ttruths!
: )