SHEILA WALSH — “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment.” Romans 5:4-5 (NLT)

I’ll never forget the sight of my son the first time he was fully suited up for Friday night football. The shoulder pads alone made him look like someone from a Marvel comic book. His instructions to me before the game began were crystal clear,

“No matter what happens out there mom, do not come on the field!”

Seemed simple enough.

That was until Christian was tackled, legitimately, from behind and as he lay face down on the field another boy from the opposing team intentionally stomped on the back of his left knee. It took both hands on the tail of my jacket for my husband to keep me in my seat!

His injury led to knee surgery and after one more bad fall, a second surgery. At that point the surgeon told him his football days were over. Christian was disappointed but he rebounded and threw himself into many other interests.

Some disappointments are not like that though.

Some are devastating and life altering.

I think of the mom who challenged me after I’d spoken in her city.

“You said something on stage tonight that can’t be true,” she said.

“What was that?” I asked.

“You said that God is all powerful and that God is all loving.” She replied.

“I believe He is both,” I said. “Why do you question that?”

Her answer was heartbreaking.

“I’ve buried two sons so you’ll have to pick one!”

She continued, “If He was powerful enough to stop their deaths, then He can’t be loving because He didn’t.”

I held her as tears ran down her face in rivers.

That’s one of the greatest challenges to our faith. Will we still love and worship a God we don’t always understand? Will we still love Him when our marriage is not healed? Will we still worship when we didn’t get that job we so badly needed?

In moments of profound disappointment and pain the enemy loves to make us question God’s love for us.

Her husband came back but yours didn’t!

God doesn’t love you as much as he loves her!

Why bother praying, no one is listening!

In the midst of storms like these we need to remember two things:

1 — The enemy is a thief and a liar.

2 — God is for you. He promised to never leave or forsake you. He held nothing back in saving you, not even the life of His own son.

The hope that Paul speaks about in his letter to the Church in Rome is different than anything this world has to offer. This hope is not wishful thinking. On the contrary, it’s the stuff you can stake your life on!

Until we see Jesus face to face we will endure storms. Some will blow over quickly while others will seem to last longer than we can bear.

It used to be that if I were walking through a hard season I would be confident that God would get me through, and when He did, I would worship and thank Him. But what I’m learning in this season of my life is to worship Him in the middle of the storm, before there’s even a hint of dawn breaking, because He is worth it!

I want to encourage you today. If you are facing some rough seas — lift up your head, your heart, and your hands to the Lord and worship your way through the storm. He will hold you as you do.

“Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.” James 1:24-25 (NLT)