I’m sure you’ve all heard the headlines from earlier this week: “Hurricane Sandy Leaves East Cost Flooded, Wet and Dark!” “Hurricane Sandy Kills at least 19 New Yorkers.” “Hurricane Sandy Wreaks Travel Havoc!”
As the storm came ashore Monday night, and continued to wreak havoc into Tuesday and Wednesday, I sat glued to CNN’s reports of where the storm was located and the devastation that it left in its wake. And like so many, I often asked myself, where is God in all of this?
While most of us cannot relate to being in the midst of a superstorm, the truth is that experiencing hardship is a natural part of human life here on earth. We will experience times where we will need to weather the storms of life. While some prosperity gospel preachers claim that becoming a Christian guarantees a free pass through life, the Bible tells us otherwise.
Jesus says in John 16:33 that in this life we will have trouble! He does not deny this reality of living in a sin-filled world. Experiencing loneliness, bereavement, health concerns, financial crises – these are things that Jesus says will happen – we will have trouble in this life!
But the good news is that we do not walk through the storms of life alone.
God goes with us through the good, the bad and the ugly times in life.
Our times are not our own, but instead we trust that, as Psalm 31:15 states, our times are in God’s hands – and let me assure you, God’s hands are good hands!
On Him can we rely and in His hands alone can we find rest for our soul.
Laura Van Schaick is a officer with the Salvation Army in Quesnel.