Reading those passages makes me think of a song. “If your eyes are on the storm/You’ll wonder if I love you still/But if your eyes are on the cross/You’ll know I always have and I always will”. More than I would like to admit, my eyes are too often on the storm.

What about you? Are you going through a storm? Could you use a little encouragement? We could all use a little, I’m sure.

I do not know what you do to relieve stress or how you move through a difficult time, but I would like to encourage you to go to God, our Heavenly Father with all of it. Another glass of wine isn’t going to fix it. Venting to a friend will be a short-term fix.

Forgetting to be in the Word can be so easy. I can waste an embarrassing amount of time on my phone and wonder why I am not feeling peace in my life. I can watch tv and wonder why I am lacking something of substance.

It is so easy to forget where to find my comfort, peace, and joy. So when I’m not in the Word, I tend to focus on the storm.

If you are looking for life’s answers or wondering how to find peace, the answer is in a book. A really awesome book, God’s Word, the Bible. It can be daunting to pick that book up, open it and read it. There are parts of the Bible that will be hard to read. There will parts that won’t necessarily be enjoyable to read. But there will be examples, over and over again of God’s faithfulness, his protection through the storms, his love, his forgiveness, his dedication to you! That is pretty outstanding, considering that we don’t deserve any of it.

And the peace! Oh, the amazing peace that God gives. How wonderful that it is not like the temporary peace that the world gives. It is peace in sins forgiven and the gift of eternity with God in heaven. It is not fleeting. It is not circumstantial. It is true, lasting peace in any and all circumstances. Praise be to God.

The storm will not be calmed if you’re looking to things of this world. Look to the One who loved you enough to die on the cross for you. God loves you and he always will. We can walk through this life with peace in our hearts. Even in the storm.

So open up to Deuteronomy 31 or Isaiah 41 or Proverbs 3 or Psalm 34. “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all the things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (vs.26) Peace. It’s not on your shoulders to get through the storm. Open up the Word and be taught the way of peace by the One who will get you through. Be comforted in knowing that above all, you have peace in the forgiveness and grace of your Heavenly Father.