Weather the Storm.

It's the beginning of the year and there's a winter storm in the midst of America. All over the world, it's a new year and some of us may feel like the year started off with a storm in our lives.

In a winter storm there is snow, ice and cold weather. Maybe you see other people with warm weather, in other words, you've seen them already receive things. Maybe you slipped on some ice, in other words, there was a new year's resolution you already failed to keep. Maybe your power went out in the storm, in other words, you've suffered a loss already.

The snow has seemed to slow you down, the cold weather is uncomfortable.

I have friends who've had mothers and fathers die on the very first day of the year. I've seen them exhibit great joy in the midst of the storm. Yesterday, I experienced one of the worst financial losses in a long time. This was days after I gave the most I have ever given to God, financially. You could imagine, the mental battle I had looked like a battle scene from 300.

As I was driving home yesterday evening, God was telling me to just trust his word. Not 5 seconds later did I see a car in front of me with the license plate "HIS WORD". I was tempted for a second to follow them to see who they were, but I did not.

God did not forget about you, he has not given up on you, and he will lift you up in honor if you hold on to his hand.

The key is to think how God thinks.

"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the Lord. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9)

This is not God boasting, it is an invitation to understand God does and allows things in ways we cannot figure out on our own. To try to figure out the complexities of life with our own mind is torment. He wants us to think how he thinks.

"You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, God. They cannot be numbered. Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you." (Psalm 139:16-18)

"for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable." (Romans 11:29) 

God created time and he thinks in eternity. So the things he has called you to are already established in his mind. The good things he thinks about you are not changed by what you do or don't do. He loves you because of who you are, not your performance. The gifts and the call on your life cannot be taken away from you. The only way to not accomplish that is to forfeit, so keep going.

Weather the storm.