But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.
II Timothy 3:1
I grew up in and around the world of aviation. My Dad was a pilot and airport manager. I spent many hours riding in small planes. When you fly a lot, one thing you get used to is the reality of light to moderate turbulence. It’s no big deal for pilots. However, many of us remember those times when we encountered severe turbulence. It is no fun. This is when one would rather be on the ground than in the air.
We are living in a time of severe turbulence all across our world. We see it every day in the world of politics. We see it in the uncertainty of dealing with a worldwide pandemic. Social Media only adds fuel to the fire of severe turbulence.
Let me go out on a limb to say that you too have been experiencing severe turbulence in your world. Many of us have had A church member or someone close to you died from this deadly virus. Some of your members who stopped attending in 2020 have yet to return. Many are scared to come back and some have gotten so used to life without church that they no longer sense a need for worship, Bible study and fellowship with other believers.
We are definitely going through a time of difficulty. As a result, life is more uncertain and challenging. Normal left the building a year and half ago. When will the turbulence end? When will it at least go back to light and moderate? The answer is “I don’t know.” It may never go back to normal as we used to define it. We may be in the process of establishing a new normal.
We cannot control the turbulence, but we can control our response to it. Here’s what we do know about God from His Word-
Remember God is Sovereign.
Greg Laurie said, “God is sovereign over all history. History is His story.”
You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them. Psalm 89:9
He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Psalm 107:29
Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”
Matthew 8:26-27
Remember God is Present.
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4
Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me. Psalm 139:7-10
Remember God is at Work.
But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. II Corinthians 4:7-11
God uses the severe turbulence of this world to work out His will in and through us. Paul used the words, affliction, perplexed, persecuted, struck down to refer to life’s difficulties and turbulence. However, alongside the turbulence, he gave us the promise of not being crushed, not driven to despair, and not destroyed.
In the turbulence of life, we experience the death of Jesus so that we also experience the very life of Jesus in our mortal flesh. In your times of turbulence, know that you are not without the Sovereign hand of God with you to accomplish His good plan and purpose for your life. The turbulence will end in His time.
When we are in the severe turbulence, all we can do is hold on. It’s hard to figure out what the Lord is doing. We are just trying to survive. Remember God is Sovereign and He is holding on to us through this most difficult time.
Still Waters Renewal is a place for you to get away from the turbulence for a few days and experience rest, renewal and healing. We have a few openings for this October’s retreat at Moro Bay. We would love to have you come and enjoy a getaway on us. Sign up today.