Turn It Off
Posted by Whittle a While | | Posted On Friday, May 27, 2011 at 8:32 AM
We lie awake at night, perusing the pages of our minds. Wondering, will it ever end? Will the conflicts, problems, decisions, struggles . . . will they ever end. Just when you think that you have made it through one storm, just over the horizon peaks another cloud. How big will the front be? Will it bring lots of rain? Will the wind howl? Will the house remain standing or will we lose everything?
I see the devastation in the midwest due to the horrific tornados and all of a sudden my concerns really don't seem to even hit the radar screen. I'm incredibly blessed! My prayers go out to those who have lost loved ones so dear to them. Some are moving on, and for others the nightmare continues . . .
Which brings me to my original thought. How do I turn it off? In the middle of the storm the mind races from one scene to another until you are left mentally exhausted and praying for sleep to come and rescue you from the chaos. It is in these moments that I find myself praying to the Lord, ". . . help my unbelief" (Mark 9:24). I call it my "midnight reminder prayer!" It is in those dark and lonely times when the night cascades a darkness that is not to be relinquished until the breaking of the dawn. It is in those moments that I cry out to my Lord and ask Him to turn it off. Please Lord, turn off the fear, the doubt, the worry, the unbelief and replace all of it with the gentle peace from the One who created me. And He does! His word begins to flood my soul with peace and assurance that He is there . . . walking through the storm with me. "'The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart'--that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved . . . for the scripture says, 'Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed'" (Romans 10:8-9, 11). Regardless of how your circumstance relates to others and whether or not it is as great a trial is really irrelevant. Your "storm" is real and the pain one feels while walking through the storm is real. But how we deal with the storm is critical!
I'm reminded of the words I read recently in Chris Tiegreen's devotional, The One Year Walk with God, in which he said, "The strange tendency of human nature is to thrive under distress and to stray under prosperity. We usually don't see it that way because we define thriving in terms of our circumstances. But God defines it in terms of our attitude and growth in Him. And we grow best when we're in trouble" (Pg.144). It is the pain we find in the struggle that often times drives us to our knees seeking the Lord's peace and comfort. I'm so thankful that the Lord has sent "the Comforter" to us and not just comfort. Our Lord can use pain to create a heart that is hungry for Him! And I'm so thankful that He is able to satisfy!
Yes, He can turn it off . . . and often it is His presence, peace and amazing love that we find in His word that He uses to do so in the middle of the storm as He walks through it with us. And as I pray to Him and recite His word in my heart, I see a spiritual dawning take place and His light permeates my soul and I am refreshed. He sees my fears, hurts and concerns and comes to my rescue!
I see the devastation in the midwest due to the horrific tornados and all of a sudden my concerns really don't seem to even hit the radar screen. I'm incredibly blessed! My prayers go out to those who have lost loved ones so dear to them. Some are moving on, and for others the nightmare continues . . .
Which brings me to my original thought. How do I turn it off? In the middle of the storm the mind races from one scene to another until you are left mentally exhausted and praying for sleep to come and rescue you from the chaos. It is in these moments that I find myself praying to the Lord, ". . . help my unbelief" (Mark 9:24). I call it my "midnight reminder prayer!" It is in those dark and lonely times when the night cascades a darkness that is not to be relinquished until the breaking of the dawn. It is in those moments that I cry out to my Lord and ask Him to turn it off. Please Lord, turn off the fear, the doubt, the worry, the unbelief and replace all of it with the gentle peace from the One who created me. And He does! His word begins to flood my soul with peace and assurance that He is there . . . walking through the storm with me. "'The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart'--that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved . . . for the scripture says, 'Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed'" (Romans 10:8-9, 11). Regardless of how your circumstance relates to others and whether or not it is as great a trial is really irrelevant. Your "storm" is real and the pain one feels while walking through the storm is real. But how we deal with the storm is critical!
I'm reminded of the words I read recently in Chris Tiegreen's devotional, The One Year Walk with God, in which he said, "The strange tendency of human nature is to thrive under distress and to stray under prosperity. We usually don't see it that way because we define thriving in terms of our circumstances. But God defines it in terms of our attitude and growth in Him. And we grow best when we're in trouble" (Pg.144). It is the pain we find in the struggle that often times drives us to our knees seeking the Lord's peace and comfort. I'm so thankful that the Lord has sent "the Comforter" to us and not just comfort. Our Lord can use pain to create a heart that is hungry for Him! And I'm so thankful that He is able to satisfy!
Yes, He can turn it off . . . and often it is His presence, peace and amazing love that we find in His word that He uses to do so in the middle of the storm as He walks through it with us. And as I pray to Him and recite His word in my heart, I see a spiritual dawning take place and His light permeates my soul and I am refreshed. He sees my fears, hurts and concerns and comes to my rescue!
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