Spiritual Sunday- This is a weekly post in which I will discuss my spiritual beliefs.
Less than a month ago, I hit a really rough patch. I’m talking a patch so deep, I temporarily wound up with a -$700 deficit in my bank account with impending expenses of over $2000, and the knowledge that I needed to move out of my home because the landlord sold it. I am not going to lie: I was STRESSED. You see, I tend to put more of a focus on PEOPLE, not profits, so sometimes I find myself helping a lot of people without asking for any cash in return. I know a lot of people are struggling in this economy, so I put them before myself and help them in God’s name. God always tells me that I am blessed to be a blessing.
As wave upon wave beat against me in the financial & life storm, I turned to God and asked him the following: “God, you have told me that you will bless me and that in turn, I must bless others in your name. However, if I am going through all of this trouble, how are people going to look up to me. Why would they take business and life advice from someone who is broke? Why haven’t you intervened?” And God replied, “Heather, How can people trust you to guide them through the storm if you have never been in one?” Then a fellow believer called me to tell me that “People are watching you. They are seeing how you handle the storm.” I was then shown an image of Jesus on a boat at sea with a storm beating around him and he was unphased, even sleeping. This was an eye-opener for me and I instantly felt guilty for even questioning God. I turned back to my faith in Him and trusted that he would take me through the storm. I kept my weekly personal deal with God where I give him whatever money is in my wallet even when it was only a few dollars. Slowly but surely I was able to handle expense after expense. God provided me the avenues to manage them. Then last week we received our income tax refund which was 10 times the amount I was in deficit. What seemed impossible was totally probable when I put faith in God to provide.
But, that is not all! I went to church a few hours ago and the pastor began speaking about “Storms.” I mean this was eerie & freaky, in a good way. It was as if the pastor had stepped into my mind and spoke about the same things I was thinking about for the last few weeks.
I feel I have to share my notes from the sermon with you, so here it is:
vs Revelation 1:18
“The storms of life will come. What are you doing in the midst of them?”
Amen = I Agree
vs Acts 27:13-20
Storms Are Inevitable
vs John 16:33
The devil is the prince and the power of the air. Storms are a result of a fallen world.
Storms Are Unpredictable
vs Jeremiah 4:20
Storms Are Impartial
vs Matthew 5:45
Storms Are Temporary
vs Hebrews 10: 35-37
vs Psalms 1:26
You are either in a storm, just coming out of one or about to go into one.
Solutions in Philippians
1. Stop Focusing on the Past, Philippians 1:12
2. Discover new opportunities, Philippians 1:13-14
3. Focus on what really matters, Philippians 1:21
I’d like to add a book recommendation. Look up a book called, When God Winks by Squire Rushnell. I was compelled to pick this up in the store and it perfectly describes how the incident that just happened to me was beyond coincidence (Me thinking about storms and the pastor preaching about it. Me being in deficit by over $700 and getting a refund for 10 times as much- over $7000).
So are you going through a storm or just getting out of one? Are you out of the storm for now, but worried about the next one to come along? From personal experience I can tell you that prayers work and faith in God works.
Amen! God is always in control and knows just what we need even in the midst of storms. He is purposeful! 🙂