“Life Paused – Finding Strength In The Storm” by Mark McGee
Life seems to be on pause right now. When’s the last time we saw churches, schools, and businesses closed, major events canceled and our economy seemingly coming to a standstill?
Social distancing? We find directions for its use in the Bible, but usually for individuals with specific diseases (e.g. lepers). When did social distancing become the ‘new normal’ for all people in a society? Remember that what we’re facing in our community is global in scope and almost surreal.
What’s a Christian to do?
Take this opportunity to consider God’s Word, reflect on revealed truth, pray to our great God, and find strength for the day at hand.
There are so many places in Scripture where we see people’s lives put on pause. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, the Israelites, the disciples of Christ – all of them went through times that included stressful pauses. Think of Joseph in prison, Moses alone on a hillside shepherding sheep, the children of Israel in Egyptian bondage, wilderness wandering and Babylonian captivity, the disciples of Christ on the Saturday before Resurrection Sunday.
Some of them used their ‘pause’ in positive ways and came out on the other side stronger than when they went in. Some did not. Everyone has a choice in how they respond to major societal and social pauses like the one we’re facing now.
God is not pacing Heaven, wringing His hands, wondering what He’s going to do about a virus. God is sitting on His Throne, in complete control of everything.
David in the Storm
Remember these words of King David?
“Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; My eye wastes away with grief, Yes, my soul and my body! For my life is spent with grief, And my years with sighing; My strength fails because of my iniquity, And my bones waste away.” Psalm 31:9-10
David is going through a tough time. He’s in trouble. His eye wastes away with grief along with his soul and body. He feels as if his life is spent with grief and his years with sighing. His strength failed him because of his iniquity. He believed his bones were wasting away.
What did David do?
- David put his trust in God – “But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in Your hand.”
- David prayed to God and asked for help – “Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from those who persecute me.”
- David asked God to show Himself clearly to him and save him – “Make Your face shine upon Your servant; Save me for Your mercies’ sake.”
- David asked God to help him with the shame he felt and change his circumstance – “Do not let me be ashamed, O Lord, for I have called upon You; Let the wicked be ashamed; Let them be silent in the grave. Let the lying lips be put to silence.”
- David praised God before receiving answers to his prayers – “Oh, how great is Your goodness, Which You have laid up for those who fear You, Which You have prepared for those who trust in You In the presence of the sons of men!”
- David stood strong on what he knew to be God’s unfailing character and called on his friends to be faithful to God – “Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints! For the Lord preserves the faithful … Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart, All you who hope in the Lord.” (Psalm 31)
One way we can sum up David’s process of finding strength in the storm is this –
- Trust God
- Ask God for help
- Praise God
- Stand strong in God’s promises
- Hope in God
David was a human just like us. He had many faults, many troubles, but David knew how to respond to the ‘pauses’ of life and find strength in the storm.
Jesus in the Storm
Jesus was God and man – deity and humanity in one Person. He was perfect, yet took on Himself the sins of the world (1 John 2:2). Jesus faced more of life’s storms than any other person who has ever lived. How did He do it? The same way David faced his storms.
Jesus trusted His Heavenly Father, asked His Father for help, praised His Father, stood strong in His Father’s promises, and hoped in His Father. Jesus, who is God in Flesh, is our best example.
Early in Jesus’ earthly ministry, He shared some very important insights to how to face life’s storms – whatever they may be.
People then, as now, worry about their lives. They worry about what they’ll have to eat and drink. They worry about clothing. Those are some of the storms of life that we may be thinking about right now. What did Jesus tell them?
- Do not worry
That’s it? Just don’t worry? No, there’s more to it than that, but first we need to trust God. Why? Because God is our strength, our hope, and our great provider.
“Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? … Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:26-34)
Remember, God is on His Throne at this moment. He sees you and hears you. Trust Him. Ask Him for help. Praise God and stand strong in His promises. Place your faith in God and seek His Kingdom and Righteousness. And one other thing, encourage your family and friends to trust Him, too.
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:6-9
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Written by Mark McGee ~
Mark McGee is a former atheist and career journalist. He worked on the news staff of several radio and television stations (including Huntsville’s WAAY-TV) and two metropolitan newspapers over a period of 40 years.
Mark has written three published books and more than 280 Ebooks. He also writes regularly for several Christian blogs and serves with Ratio Christi Campus Apologetics Alliance and Engage360 Ministries.
Mark has been active in martial arts and self-defense training for almost 60 years and has been teaching from a Christian perspective for almost 50. He is an instructor with Christian Soldiers Karate at Whitesburg Baptist Church and also teaches privately.
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