From calm to chaos

"He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still." Psalm 107:29

Have you even been in a storm?

Have you ever experienced a day with more stress than you think possible?

Have things went to hell in a hand basket?

Has you day went from peace to perplexity?

Have you had a day that went from calm to chaos?

A day of turmoil of emotions from sunrise to sunset.

Maybe you broke up with your boy/girl friend, or had the shower head bust, or maybe the washer exploded, or maybe you were in a auto accident totaling your car.

What ever you day has been like, God has been there right beside you.

"When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee: and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." Isaiah 43:2

There is nothing that has happened to you that first did not go through His hands.

We are to laugh in the midst of our storms, our trials.

"At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh:" Job 5:22

I know of a bird that could not sing during the storm.

Her name was Gracie, she is a canary.

She never saw what was about to happen.

One minute she was perched in her cage.

The next minute she was being sucked in, washed up, and blown over.

On this peaceful, quiet day Gracie's owner decided to clean her cage, but not the normal way.

Gracie's owner decided to use a vacuum cleaner.

She had everything ready, then she took the end attachment off, and stuck the open end of the hose in the cage.

Then, all of a sudden the phone rang.

Not really paying attention, she left the vacuum hose, still on in the cage and then picked up the phone.

She had barely picked up the phone when she heard a really loud sound.

Ssswoooop.

There went Gracie.

Gracie had been sucked up by the the vacuum..

Could you imagine how the owner felt?

Her baby bird swallowed by the mean vacuum, that she left unattended.

She hurriedly put the phone down, turned off the vacuum and opened up the bag.

After she had opened up the bag, she found Gracie still alive.

The owner was very thankful for that.

Gracie was covered in dust and soot.

Her owner then not thinking much wanted her baby Gracie to be clean.

She took Gracie to the bathroom, turned on the faucet and held her under the running water so that she would get clean.

After Gracie's little bath, her owner realized that not only was she soaked, but she was cold and shivering.

Not thinking twice she reached for her blow dryer.

What a blast of warm air that must have been on Gracie.

Gracie never had a chance.

Gracie never knew what hit her that day.

Gracie doesn't sing much after that trial.

Gracie now sits and stares.

Who could blame her after that shock.

Gracie was sucked in, washed up, and blown over.

That in itself is enough for any of us to steal our song let alone a canary.

"Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men." Psalm 107:31

Did you relate to Gracie's story at some point?

One minute you have a song on your lips the next could be that of despair.

Maybe a pink slip, or divorce papers, bad news from the doctor, a bounced check, a loved one dies.

You life had been so calm just a few minutes before, but now you are in the middle of a raging storm.

"And there rose a great storm of wind." Mark 4:37a

Somewhere in the midst of the trauma, the turmoil, the blustery wind you have lost your joy.

Somewhere in your storm you lost your song.

When you face fears, pressures, anxiety, or darkness, you can endure the storm without losing you joy, your song!

But God.

It is through the storm and in the storm that He speaks.

God is best heard here, if we but listen.

When we see God, that is enough.

Job was such a man that God allowed Him to see Him.

All of the many trials and storms that came as a whirlwind to Job, God was always right there.

Storms come sometimes too quickly, and then all of the sudden you are covered by them.

If you happen to be in one, then you know what I mean.

If you are not, hold on tight, for there is surely one in the forecast.

These storms that come are for your benefit.

"Lo. all these things worketh God oftentimes with man. To bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living." Job 33:29-30

There is always something for us to learn out of each of our trials, that is why they are called trials.

One good thing about God, He will not give us any more than we can handle.

"There is no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able; but with all temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." I Corinthians 10:13

Our trial is in direct proportion to how much faith God has in us that we will make it through.

Job as a man went through a lot of things.

God knew that Job was able to make it through.

It is when we come to that place and say that we are nothing, and He is everything.

We are just the clay in the hands of the Potter.

We are being transformed and formed into that vessel of honor.

How you look at your situation, is key to how you respond.

You could see God as harsh, cruel, and distant.

Hopefully you will see God as that strength in the storm, the Father who will love you and be there for you through and in the storm.

Are you listening to God in your situation?

Do you obey that which you heard?

All it takes is one word form God, and one act of obedience.

"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." II Corinthians 10:5