Till the Storm Passes By

God is in control even when nothing in the world appears to be. Another hurricane is on its way to leave a path of devastation in its wake. Countless people are dying in the Horn of Africa. An earthquake struck this week in the Eastern US and Canada. People were gunned down in senseless murder scenes.

I remember the catastrophic day of September 11, 2001 and the impact it made to the world. The Sundays that followed people crowded into churches to grieve and seek God for comfort in time trouble. I truly believe that God used this event to save people.

Have you had storms in your life? What have they done to you? Do they worry you? Have they angered you? Do you think that God has lost control or did you seek the LORD who will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.

Sadly, when we are facing storms in our lives, we tend to forget that God is in full control. That is why it is so important for us to constantly remind ourselves that our God still sits on His throne in heaven. It may do us much good to constantly remind ourselves of this fact before the next storm strikes. Storms are inevitable, for we live in a fallen world. Nevertheless, we can still feel blessed when we are faced with storms because we have a God who is in ultimate control of everything that happens in our lives.
I have my difficult moments when I wonder; Lord do you still know that I am here. Have you forgotten me? Yet when I look back in my 57 years of life and especially the last 6 months since I was diagnosed with cancer I can only say as written in Nahum 1:7 The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.

It's so important to have a heart of gratitude. It's even more important to maintain a heart of gratitude. When we are in the midst of storms, we can be so consumed by them that we do not realize there could be a lot of people out there who are suffering even more than us. So, if you are currently facing a storm in your life, why not take the focus off it and reach out to those who are suffering a worse fate than you? You may soon realize how blessed you are!

Presently I am reading “When your world falls apart” by Dr David Jeremiah. When life suddenly turns upside down, there, in the midst of your trials and in the center of your pain, is God comforting, guiding encouraging, teaching and sustaining. If you find yourself in the midst of a trial you should read this book. Thank you Hendrika for this wonderful gift, it arrived just in time.  

It is now just over 4 weeks ago that I had my surgery. Healing is taking time and progressing steadily. On September 16 I will resume Chemo treatments and I pray that I will again gain my full strength to face these harsh treatments. I again want to thank you so much for showing your love and care in so many different ways. Thank you for your prayers, God is good, all the time.
John