We are nearing Thanksgiving, and we should take time to reflect on what it is for which we are thankful. Today’s verse gives us one reason for being thankful to God. “The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.” (Psalm 29:11 KJV) When we go through storms in this life, God gives us strength and peace in the midst of the storm. I’m so grateful for His strength and peace.
Because of His great strength, we can have peace as we go through the struggle of getting to the other side of the storm. We must remember that storms don’t last forever, there will be an end. J. Vernon McGee, in his commentary on Psalms, says, “The power of God in a storm is great, and it is He who gives strength during a storm. God can strengthen and enable us to go through the storms of life and know what peace is afterward. The storm with all of its fury may lash across the land, but Jehovah is still in control. In every storm of life He is in control, and He will bless His people with peace.”
There are times when we are in the middle of a trial, it is hard to remember that God is in control, no matter what. He knows what we are going through, and He has compassion and walks with us through the trial. He never leaves us alone. Whether it’s a physical storm such as a grave illness or financial worries, or a Spiritual storm fraught with battles from the enemy, God never leaves our side. He knows just how much we can bear, and He gives us the strength to persevere. He gives us peace to carry us through from beginning to end.
When my husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer, we got the news on our honeymoon. The doctor called us right away when he got the results of the biopsy, and my phone rang while we were driving down the road. We pulled over to the side to listen to what he had to say. I must tell you; it was like a gut punch. My first husband had passed away from strokes, epilepsy, and heart problems and now I was getting news that my new husband had prostate cancer. Maybe for just a second, I questioned God. “I had to watch as my first husband dealt with health issues and now my second husband was diagnosed with cancer. Why God?” It’s the first time in my life I can honestly say I asked God, “Why?” But through all the treatments and the time it took for him to heal, God held us. I felt His peace and He gave both of us the strength to weather the storm. We knew that Kraig was in God’s hands, and we could trust Him with the results. That was five years ago, and since then, my husband has had two episodes of skin cancer, the first one was surgically removed and the last is in the process of being healed. We still trust God for the results and there is peace. “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” (Isaiah 26:3 ESV)
As we go through each trial, we know we can rely on God to be with us, give us the strength we need to weather the storm, and find calm at the end of the trouble. The sun comes out again and we have clear skies and find ourselves stronger than before. We can be thankful for each storm, knowing God is in control. I encourage you to be grateful for His strength and peace today.
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