Isaiah 61:3
“To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”
The spring and summer storms that roll across the Midwest can pack a powerful punch. Their destructive force levels towns, tearing up the landscape, yet it’s not unusual to see a great tree standing in the rubble. Arborists tell us that extreme weather conditions stimulate trees to send their roots deep into the earth. This process enables them to withstand the predictable but passing storms.
STORMS WILL COME
The storms of life are inevitable, but have you noticed that believers who have endured immense difficulties are remarkably resilient? Their inner man is at rest, and they display a calm spirit. What is their secret? They have learned to reach upward toward heaven in surrender to God’s will while sinking their roots deep into His righteousness, and in doing so, they have learned to trust Him in each challenge.
Trusting God is easy when all is sunny and bright –
it is the tempest that proves where our confidence lays, in Him or us.
The next time the winds of life blow, tempting you to worry, remember that the Lord is at work. All that is raging around you will increase your spiritual strength and depth. Trust Him as you look forward to what He is about to do, and even the sound of the wind will become a comfort to your ears.
Awaiting His return,
– Pastor Jack
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