Where is God when everything falls apart?
We’ve all been there; caught in the storm watching the floodwaters rise, and wondering how we got there. Where is God in the storm when my arms feel weary, my soul is battered, and life has left me breathless?
It’s here, in the midst of the storm, that we must decide if we will allow God to use this storm; or allow the storm to shatter our faith and push us away from God. In the midst of stress, pain or heartache, it can be so easy to allow the storm to make us bitter; to let it drive us away from everything God has planned for us.
When it comes down to it, this is a choice we have to make. We can let God refine, shape, and define us through this broken place, or it can sweep in like a tornado and destroy everything in its path. We can hunker down in our pain or depression or loneliness, or we can lean into Him; allowing Him to lead our steps and fill our souls.
In times like this, as we sit in the storm, it is easy to feel all alone like no one sees and no one cares. But this I know, even in the storm, at the darkest moment of your life, He is there. And, because He is God even in the storm:
- you cannot be lost to Him.
- even in the storm, you are His child.
- He saw this storm before it ever reached you and has already worked out what you need to get through it.
- He will see you through.
- God is worthy of your trust.
At times, it can feel impossible to trust God when we are in the midst of the storm that He knew was coming but did nothing to save us from. It is hard from our perspective to see why we had to endure the storm. And the answer is … because. It might be because we live in a fallen world, it might be because God has a plan, it might be because we made poor choices. It might be … just because.
Regardless, some of the biggest storms become platforms for God to show up BIG and pour all of His grace, mercy, and love into the life of another storm-battered soul. Sometimes we have to go through a storm so that it strips away everything false that we are relying on so that we are forced to rely on God.
Read that again: Sometimes we have to go through a storm so that it strips away everything false that we are relying on so that we are forced to rely on God.
There are times like this in all of our lives. There are times we are certain God is sending us into a particular task, mission, relationship, or endeavor. But then trouble comes. The wind starts howling and our boat starts rocking. The storm rages and we wonder if we misunderstood. Did He really send us? Why would He send us into the middle of a storm? It’s during these times that we must remember that when we are in a storm, we can be right in the middle of God’s will. And, Jesus wants to get in the boat with us to prove His faithfulness, just like He did for the disciples.
I wonder if this is how the disciples felt just after watching Jesus perform the miracle of feeding the 5,000 in Matthew 14. He immediately told them to get into the boat and go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee while He dismissed the crowds. He sent them. They obeyed.
Then, while Jesus was alone praying, the wind started howling and their boat started rocking. They were afraid and cried out. They’d been struggling for a long time, battered by the wind and waves before Jesus showed up to rescue them in the early hours of the morning. Finally, when He got into the boat with them, the winds ceased (Matthew 14:32).
“Then they cried out, “Truly, you are the Son of God!”
Between the time Jesus sent them to cross the Sea of Galilee, and the time He arrived to save them, did they wonder if he had forgotten them? Did they get angry that He had sent them? Did they doubt His faithfulness? I would have. You?
The storm is the exact thing He uses to reveal His goodness and love. Through it, we often see His power in greater ways. Are you in a storm right now? Have you gotten in a boat God was calling you to? Are things looking a little bleak?
Trust him. He is in the boat with you. Remember. . . sometimes when you’re in the storm, you’re right in the center of God’s will.
How To Trust God In The Storm
Even knowing that He is God in the storm isn’t always enough in the face of the storm and so we find doubts creeping in. Here are some simple tools to help you stay focused on God in the storm:
- Pour your heart out to your heavenly Father. He already knows what you’re feeling and the thoughts in your head so go ahead and speak it. It’s ok to be angry, to hurt, and to ask big questions.
- Remember that God hears and answers every prayer, just not on our timetable and not always with the answer we want to hear.
- Continue to pray, to seek Him, to spend quiet moments in your Bible.
- Surrender it to God. The storms we face are far too heavy and large for us to deal with on our own, but we were never meant to. Take the burdens and lay them at His feet.
- Focus on God, and know that His plan is perfect, and in the end will be used for good. Even if it doesn’t feel like it now.
- When you don’t feel like you can move forward, fake it, even if you don’t feel it. Allow Him to fill you in these moments.
Bible Verses About Trusting God
Here are some great Bible verses about faith in hard times, to help you get through the storm. Try using these in your prayers.
- “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze..” Isaiah 43:2 - “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this.” Psalm 37:5
- “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” Psalm 91:4
- “Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.” Psalm 62:1-2 - “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
When we are going through the storm it can be hard to cling to all of the promises we’ve learned in the good days. But often the storm is used to build on what we learned when everything was going just right. The truth is we need the storms. As uncomfortable and painful as these seasons are in your life, they grow us and stretch us. They teach us to lean into God; to lean into prayer; to lean into the Bible.
They reaffirm what we know in our hearts, for the next time we go through a storm. They give us a solid foundation to say with confidence that He is God in the storm and He will never abandon us.
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10
For God and you,
Deb Bostwick
Blogger