Praise You in this Storm- Casting Crowns

"I raise my hands and praise The God who gives and takes away

And I'll praise you in this storm And I will lift my hands That you are who you are No matter where I am And every tear I've cried You hold in your hand You never left my side And though my heart is torn I will praise you in this storm"

I am learning as I live life that true worship isn't just worshipping God in the good of life, but the storms of life. I have had a lot of good in my life in the past two years, (getting married, having a son) and have certainly praised him for the beautiful gifts of my wife and son. However, I also have gone through some storms (God closing a door to work with a missions agency, my wife almost having a miscarriage, and Joseph coming three months early).

It is in the storms that I found God hard to praise. I have wondered to God out aloud, "What are you doing? What are you up to? Aren't you the God who works miracles? " If I am honest, the question to God would also be "Aren't you the God who works everything out for my benefit in my ways, in my timing?" It is easy to twist Romans 8:28 to mean that God works out everything good for me and my benefit when I want him to. However, I learning to believe that in the storms I face are an opportunity to see that God uses the storms of my life to strengthen, stretch, and encourage me to trust him in a deeper way than I had down previously.

The same God who had Paul write 1 Thessalonians 5:18, "Be joyful always," was the God who sustained Paul as he was in prison for his faith. God is still God wherever I am in life. He is with me. Sustaining me. Crying with me. Holding my hand. He is the faithful and loving God. He does not changing depending on my circumstances. I choose to worship God in not just the good of life, but the storms too.

I don't know what storms you are going through. You may be grieving the loss or the soon to be loss of a loved one. You may be going through a tough illness and you don't know how you will survive. Your marriage may be struggling and you need some help to make it through.

I don't promise relief from your circumstances and that God will work everything out for your benefit. I do promise that if you look, just turn your eyes on Jesus, for just a second, you will find him in your storm. He is with you and for you. He wants to walk with you and hold your hand. He is big enough to handle your questions. Your doubts. Your fears. He is a friend that will stick closer to a brother (Proverbs 18:24).

You may not be facing a storm right now, but I encourage you to walk with friends and loved ones in their storms. Be with them. Hold their hand. Cry with them. But, most of all, point them to Jesus. He is the only one who can sustain them, lift them up, and be with them regardless of the storm's outcome. He is the one who stays when everything leaves or follows apart.

Maybe in you pointing them to Jesus that will discover life's true meaning and purpose is found in living for God in the good and the storms of this life.