When some of us go through emotional and spiritual storms, we have a tendency to turn everywhere except to where we should turn. Some of us resort to a palm reader, the “root” man or woman, someone who is not a well-meaning friend, drugs, alcohol, and the list goes on. II Corinthians 2:3-4 (ESV) declares, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 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.” Only God can give us the comfort that we need, no matter the situation. Further, these verses show us that God comforts us so that we are able to comfort others through what He has done for us. Glory Hallelujah! Therefore, when we are going through emotional and spiritual warfare, we must look to the Father. Going to God, the Father, as a last resort can create needless frustration for us. While we are running around in circles, not knowing which way to go, the answer has been there for us all the time. Sometimes, we have a tendency to look at other people’s situations, trying to judge their relationships with the Father and the outcomes of their storms. It is not our place to do that. It is all about trusting God. While we are so busy trying to figure out what is going on with someone else’s situation, and the results that we think we see for him or her, we need to focus on our own and see what we are lacking in our faith and trust in God. Sometimes, we just give up too quickly, or give in to others’ doubts about our abilities. Father, please teach us to look to You when our judgement of where to turn gets clouded by the storms of life. Take a look at these brief motivational stories of two celebrities who did not completely give in to others’ doubts and the storms that grappled their lives (Inspiring Dreams): “At the age of four, Wilma Rudolph contracted double pneumonia and scarlet fever, leaving her with her left leg paralyzed. Her mother was told she would never walk again. At age nine she removed her metal brace, and by age 13, she had developed a rhythmic walk. That same year, she decided to become a runner. She entered every race and came in last. Everyone told her to quit, but she kept on running until one day she eventually won a race. From then on, she won every race and went on to win three Olympic gold medals! “Billy Joel was denied his high school diploma due to excessive absenteeism. He ran away from home and was arrested on suspicion of burglary. The charges were dropped, but a terrifying night in jail did little to help him build a happy outlook on life. He attempted suicide by drinking furniture polish, instead of bleach, because he thought ‘it would taste better.’ When that didn’t solve his problem, he committed himself to a mental ward at Meadowbrook Hospital for three weeks and quickly discovered he was quite sane. The hospital visit strengthened his resolve to make it in rock and roll. He had many more failures before he finally succeeded. To date, he has sold more than 150 million albums!”
Always abound in the faith, and never leave home without Him!
