ARE YOU GOING THROUGH A STORM?

Romans 8:17 (MSG)  And we know we are going to get what's coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we're certainly going to go through the good times with him!  

Are you going through a stormy season in your life right now?  Does it feel like nothing good ever happens to you?  Do you become discouraged and desperate?  Are you searching for those clear blue skies with a rainbow?  Well if you are let me tell you to never give up searching.  No matter how grim your circumstances look, no matter how desperate you may feel, no matter how discouraged you become, remember this, you are going through.  You're not stuck.  The position you are in, the circumstances of you life right now are not permanent.  I know that it seems like nothing and no one can help you,  I know that the future looks grim.  I know that you see no light at the end of your tunnel right now, but don't give up!  Way too often we give up.  We become so overwhelmed that we stop believing, we stop hoping and we stop praying.  We struggle and we don't like to struggle.  We fight and we don't like to fight.  We feel like we are caught in quick sand and we are sinking fast.  Sound familiar?  Listen we all go through tough times.  We all struggle.   Whether you believe it or not, the truth is even the family that lives in that mansion in town even struggles.  That rich tycoon that owns all the property around you, feels overwhelmed at times.  We all are just going through stuff.  Yes some of us go through more serious stuff than others, but we are humans, we all make mistakes, we all sin, we all struggle.  The thing is we do not always have to put on our sack cloth and ashes to let others know we are going through a storm.  

The key here, at least for me, is to never give up.  Never surrender to the dark side.  Like Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars movies, we must fight.  We must never give up!  We must never allow the dark side to overtake us and over whelm us.  But that is ultimately what the devil is trying to do.  He wants us to surrender to our despair and desperateness.  He would love it if we gave up all our hope and dreams for a brighter tomorrow.  It's actually in his best interest if we become so frustrated and confused at our current circumstances that give up.  In fact he will point out to us every little thing that is wrong in our life.  He will tell us that God has abandoned us and left us on the side of the road.  He wants us to think that God will leave us to our own demise.  His lies will fill our ears, our hearts, and our minds until we fall victim to these lies.  Listen life is hard and sometimes it down right stinks, but do not give up!  Do not listen to the lies of the devil.  I know it's not easy going through some of the things we go through in this life, but at least we are going through!  We're not stuck!  We're not hopeless!  We have never been abandoned!

Instead of looking at where we are right now, instead of dwelling on our current circumstances, focus on Jesus Christ.  He is our hope for a brighter tomorrow.  He is our beacon in the dark storms.  He is the light that pierces the darkness.  He is the love that lifts us up from the pits of our current circumstances.  He is the strength we need to get through.  He is the peace that surpasses all understanding.  He is the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end.  Through Him we can get through anything.  Through Him we can accomplish the impossible.  Through Him we can learn many valuable lessons as we are going through the storms in life.  We will come out stronger, better, and more able than we ever imagined.  The Savior of the world wants to free you from the storms and lift you higher.  Listen, Jesus went through hard times, heck He died a criminals death on the cross.  An innocent man, Jesus shed His blood on the cross so you wouldn't have to.  He went through times that we will never go through, but He knew where He was going.  He knew that it was worth it in the end.  He knew that after going through the cruxifiction, there was a resurrection.  He wants to resurrect your life.  

Think of it this way, if we never went through any storms in life, how would ever see a rainbow?  How can you know hope if we we never go through any tough times?  We have to remember we are just going through this life.  This life is not permanent.  It is a dress rehearsal for heaven.  Instead of focusing on your problems, instead of dwelling on your current circumstances, instead of going through the storms in life with a pitiful attitude, lift up your head, lift up your voice and raise your hands to heaven and thank God that you are just going through,  Instead of talking about how big your circumstances are, tell your circumstances how big your God is.  Get up!  Never give up!  Never allow despair to overtake you as you are going through tough times.  The greatest message i heard one time from Robert Schuller was "Tough Times Never Last, But Tough People Do!"  That is so true!  Diamonds don't become diamonds without going through a little sanding and shaping.  Infact they get grinded and rough housed more than we can imagine.  But look at the end result!  A brilliant diamond that is more valuable after going through.  You are more valuable than diamonds and if diamonds increase in value after going through, think of what your value will be in God's eyes.

Lord give us the strength and power we need as we go through the tough times in life.  Help us to never give on you and the promises you give us.  I know as we go through you will never abandon us or leave us orphaned.  I know that with you by our side we can get through anything for with you all things are possible for those of us who believe.  We know you are bigger than any of our current circumstances so give us the peace we need to get through, in Jesus name we pray, amen!