The Storm

Sometimes it is hard to be single. More often than not, it is downright difficult. Thankfully, most of us have people to help us through when life is being… life. We have family, friends and our church family as well. The main thing to remember is that we have Jesus to count on. Jesus never fails us and Jesus will always be there for us. (Why is it that we forget this so often??)

When we struggle to stay sober / clean / abstinate or whatever the vice is, we are not alone. We can call on the name of Jesus to help us through the hardest times, deepest valley or wildest storm. In life, there are always choices and decisions to make. When there is a storm happening in your world, the choice of how to respond is yours. You can choose to be as wild as the storm, giving in to those vices or you can choose to stay within the eye of the storm, where it is calm, and you can watch the storm happen around you. I can tell you from experience that it takes more strength to stay in the eye of the storm than it does to get lost in the wind.

In 1 John, we are told to ‘come before Jesus in confidence, and ask according to His will.’

Ask according to His will.   What exactly does that mean? Does it mean I don’t get the things I want? Does it mean I have to give up all of my ‘stuff’ to be a Christian?

No.

Asking according to God’s will basically means being so in tune with God through prayer and study that His desires become our desires for our lives, and we then forget why we would want anything else. God’s plan is so much richer for our lives than the one we thought we wanted.

We also do not have to give up everything to become a Christian. There are things that should be given up because they are bad for our health, but we can still have fun. Christians are capable of far more fun than non-Christians believe.. I've laughed hardest with my Christian friends than any other group through my entire life. The things God would have us experience as Christians far outweighs what we experience as non-Christians.

Whatever it is you may be searching for, wherever it is you think you should go… seek counsel with God first and make sure you are on the path He desires for you. It won’t make life simple or easy, but it will be more bearable.