Look Up and Rise Above

Avoiding Suffering | “Everyone is going to suffer. The only decision is whether you are going to suffer with Christ or without Him.” – Patrick M. Morley The Man in the Mirror
 

scrip·ture | Isaiah 40:26 ²⁶ Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power, not one is missing.

de·vo·tion | When I was in college, I worked for a company that was a re-seller of Microsoft products to specific departments within the University. At the beginning of the job, they flew each of the “Student Ambassadors” to Chicago for a conference. When I woke up the morning of the flight, it was down pouring outside and I was pretty sure that my flight would be cancelled. Instead, as I made it through security and to the terminal to board, it was apparent that they were going to go through with the flight.

Traditionally, I do not get very nervous when I fly, but the storm was really making me nervous. After everyone was boarded, the plane took off into the storm. As we continued to gain altitude, I couldn’t help but look outside my window and see the rain falling down and watching our wings flop in the wind. About 20 minutes into the flight, my nervousness had turned into panic. It was completely dark outside the window, the rain continued to beat upon the plane, and the turbulence was tossing all of us around. To cap off my panic, I looked out the window to see a flash of light that blinded me and sent my head reeling.

In their wisdom and years of experience, you could feel the pilots turn the nose of the plane upwards. You could see the clouds engulf us and the clouds rushed passed my window as I waited for the craziness to end. After two minutes of pulling out my hair and biting my finger nails off, our plane broke through the clouds and out of the storm. The brightness of the sun brought an instant calm to everyone that was on board, and the shaking had completely stopped. You could look below and see the storm raging on, but we had risen above and found ourselves in a place of calmness and warmth.

As I think about the storms in my life, it is easy for me to get caught up in the chaos that intrudes my thinking. I spend a lot of time sitting in solitude trying to weather out the sufferings I am faced with. From sickness in the family, to losing my job, to watching a friend in pain, I couldn’t help but wallow in nervousness and panic. But in the times of personal turbulence, I have to only look up and bring my suffering and fear to God. In His empathy, He understands our pain and asks that in our faith, we look to the hope that exists in our relationship with Him. It is in the times I have risen above the storm and put my faith in my heavenly Father that I have been able to stretch and grow in ways that would otherwise be impossible.

What storms are brewing in your life? Do you find yourself in a place of solitude, trying to weather the storm on your own? Look up and rise above the storm my friends. When you climb up and above the clouds through faith, you will find strength, comfort, and solace in the One who loves us most.

prayer | LORD, in my effort to solve all my problems on my own, I have lost track of my faith and who my hope is in. You have provided us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self-control. I come to you now with all of my worries. Help me to rise above the storm and see the light and warmth that You provide when I abide with You. You are my strong tower, and I have only to lift up my anxieties to You and allow your Spirit to strengthen me in the times I most need it. Amen

Daily Alone Time with God |

Chapter of the Week | Proverbs 15

Mon·day | 1 Peter 5:10 ¹⁰ And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
 

Tues·day | Romans 5:3–4 ³ Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, ⁴ and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,

Wednes·day | Galatians 6:2 ² Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
 
Thurs·day | 2 Corinthians 1:3–4 ³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
 
Fri·day | Acts 14:22 ²² strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.