Overcoming the Storms of Life # 3: In the midst of storms, God is in control.
Not only is God with us as we experience storms in our lives as we discussed last week, but we can be assured that God is also in control during these times as well. Probably my most favorite “life verse” is Romans 8: 28 (NLT). “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.”
This verse has been my “rock” – my “bottom line” – many times during storms in my life. It is a promise from God to those who are committed to Him, that nothing will happen in their lives that God is not overseeing -- nothing.
Sometimes we may not understand God’s plan, but He is still in control and working everything out for our good and His glory.
Even when we are the cause of our storm, God can use it.
Even when other people hurt us intentionally, God can use it.
Even when the devil plans bad things for us, God can bring good out of it.
God's Promise is greater than our problem or pain -- always.
Psalm 37: 23 reminds us, “The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in His way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds His hand.”
Mothers of Nations, our assignment is only to stay IN FAITH during the storms, believing in Him, trusting Him fully. Psalm 57:1 "Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You, and in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamities have passed by."
Let me share with you a trial that I experienced many years ago to illustrate the truth that God is always in control in the midst of the storms of life. I am going to call this experience “The Blizzard of Betrayal.”
I am sure that most of you understand that even as ministers we at times can be flung into devastating storms. One day the Holy Spirit unexpectedly told me to lay down the area of ministry I was leading. I was standing at the sink in my bathroom and I looked into the mirror. He asked me how I could pick up the hairbrush on the counter and I responded that I would need to lay down the comb that was already in my hand.
He then said, “Lay it down,” and I immediately knew what He was telling me to do. He was asking me to “lay down” my current ministry assignments and wait on Him. There was no doubt in my mind what the Lord was speaking about.
And so in obedience I went through all the correct protocol for resigning my current ministry position, and in doing so, I was crucified by leadership. An avalanche of accusations came against me and arrows of false motives were shot into my heart.
My resigning of leadership position ultimately led to me having to leave my home congregation. There was no way I could stay and survive the false accusations even though I was simply obeying the Lord and just giving up my assignment of ministry there locally.
Interestingly I was already registered to attend a worship conference in Atlanta when this storm, my blizzard of betrayal, broke out. I decided to continue my plans and flew to Georgia by myself to participate. The conference sessions were refreshing and certainly helped minister to my wounded and raw heart.
One afternoon the conference schedule offered prophecy rooms where attendees could go and receive prophetic ministry. Randomly I selected one of the locations and sat at the back of the group of twenty people or so that had come into that particular room. There were three prophetic ministers leading the session and after ten minutes or so of prophecy, one of the ministers pointed to me and asked if I would please stand up.
This person whom I had never met then said this to me: “I see a target on your back and many arrows have been shot into that target. The Lord is pulling those arrows out today and fighting on your behalf. Be still and see the salvation of the Lord. Your God is in full control of your life.”
Prophetically that person “read my mail!” He had no idea what I was walking through at that time BUT GOD knew and God assured me that in this storm, HE WAS IN CONTROL. The Lord knew that I needed that assurance regarding my stormy circumstances and just that simple truth kept me upright as I walked through this blizzard of betrayal.
Mothers of Nations, I must be honest in letting you know that my wounded heart did not heal instantaneously with this prophetic assurance. It took me almost four years to be fully healed of that betrayal and to regain trust in leadership and authority. And interestingly, to test my healing, over the next eight years the Lord unexpectedly placed the person that was the center of that storm in my presence three different times in three different geographical locations.
Don’t ask me why, but I know that God (who is in control) ordered my steps for these encounters to take place. And I can honestly report to you that in each of those instances, I was dead to the hurt and fully healed of the wounds of my heart and the piercing of the arrows in my back. There was no pain, no hurt, no residue of anger or bitterness for all that I had experienced. God showed me that I am an overcomer through that blizzard of betrayal.
I look back today as I share this experience with you and see that the Lord was transitioning me from one “camp” to another, from one ministry assignment to other responsibilities of leadership. That transitioning journey became a very rough, tough road but God was at the wheel and I arrived at my new destination in life learning that He is always in control during my storms.
Mothers of Nations, how about you? Have you had experiences where God has demonstrated that He truly is in control of difficult situations that you walk through? I love when the Lord “cements” His promises deep within our hearts so that we have strong foundations in our lives as we journey with Him!
Rev. Nola Beintema
