finding God in the storm

Someone wrote in after the post about the snow storm. They said that they were having their own storm in life right now. They asked me how to find God when life gets stormy.

Let me begin with this... just because we might feel God from time to time, does not mean that he is closer than normal. He is always there, always the same distance away. Our feelings about his presence do not make him closer or more distant. He is there, all the time.

When times get tough and you feel alone, trust that he is with you. God's love never fails, God's love never ends.

When I feel down and alone in the stormy times, I like to remind myself that "this too shall pass." I have had many stormy times in this life, and they all came and went. I know that I will have others before my end of days.

Having said all of that, here are some things that I do when the storms come.

1. talk to a friend
2. go listen to the ocean or a fountain
3. read a book
4. watch a movie
5. read and pray the Psalms

Ps. 22 selected verses
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from my cries of anguish?
2 My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, but I find no rest.[b]

3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the one Israel praises.[c]
4 In you our ancestors put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried out and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

11 Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.

19 But you, Lord, do not be far from me.
You are my strength; come quickly to help me.
20 Deliver me from the sword,
my precious life from the power of the dogs.
21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;
save me from the horns of the wild oxen.

22 I will declare your name to my people;
in the assembly I will praise you.
23 You who fear the Lord, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
24 For he has not despised or scorned
the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
but has listened to his cry for help

God does not leave us in the storm.  The storm clouds simply block our view.  He is there.  Take heart my friend.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.