Learning to Weather the Storm

by Barbara McGirt

Gray clouds and shifting winds are good indicators that rain is on the way. Many people dread rainy days, as they are dark, cold, and often prevent fun activities from occurring. Outdoor parties are cancelled, camping trips are postponed, and play dates are scratched. While rainy days are typically predictable, at times, the rain seems to come out of nowhere. Isn’t it strange how these unexpected storms seem to occur the day you forgot your umbrella or rain coat? Without the usual signs of rain, most people don’t plan for unexpected showers, and they get soaked.

Life can often play out like an unexpected rainy day. For the most part, we all keep our emotions in check. However, there are days when out of nowhere, tears and sadness flood our souls. These are the days when we can’t seem to get out of our own head and away from tormenting thoughts that pour in like a torrential rain. Emotionally rainy days are absolutely no fun. Yet, with the proper spiritual gear, they can be weathered.

God’s Word is our spiritual umbrella. Just as an umbrella keeps physical rain from soaking our clothes, God’s Word protects our spiritual mind and body. As we cover our mind with verses such as “… we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37), we are protected from downpours of doubt and fear. Before we feel the first wet drizzle of “Nobody loves you!” we can cover ourselves with “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16). Scriptures are a necessity if we are to endure the spiritual deluge that Satan so often sends our way.

Prayer is like a spiritual rain coat. Time spent with God in prayer makes us feel warm and protected despite the bitter cold that often accompanies a spiritually rainy season. God promises us His peace as we bring our needs to Him in prayer (Philippians 4:6-7). Isn’t peace exactly what we need in the midst of a spiritual storm? When we keep the lines of communication open between us and God, we can be prepared for anything. Ephesians 6:18 encourages us to pray “always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.” Without prayer, our soul is sure to feel the brutal cold of Satan’s attacks.

It’s safe to say that rainy days are not fun: neither the physical ones nor the spiritual ones. We can’t do much about

the physically rainy days, but there is much we can do about the spiritual ones. Immersing ourselves in God’s Word and rehearsing Scripture in our hearts and minds will provide the spiritual protection we need when the floods of fear, depression, or anger bombard us. Wrapping ourselves up in prayer brings the joy of intimate moments alone with God. Prayer also frees our mind from the worry and anxiety that accompanies spiritual thunderstorms. Through God’s Word and prayer, we can prepare ourselves for the unexpected spiritual storms that come our way.

About The Author Barbara McGirt worked in full-time pastoral ministry alongside her husband Jeff for over 20 years. She holds an MA in Ministry Studies from Lee University and currently serves as a Cataloger for Squires Library. Barbara is involved in Children’s Ministry at Mt. Olive Ministries in Cleveland, Tennessee.

In this season of various elections, have you ever thought that a politician’s quote might have been completely taken out of context? It’s quite possible! And if so, what does that do to the meaning of the quoted statement? Because it has possibly been manipulated, it could distort it so much it could lead someone to believe something completely different than what the speaker originally intended.

Similarly, it can also be unwise to take Bible verses out of context. Consider this humorous anecdote about the person who was looking for guidance from God and thought, “I’m just going to open the Bible to the first page that opens, and whatever it says is what God is telling me.” So he takes his Bible, lets it fall open to a random page, and his eyes land on the verse in Matthew 27:5 about Judas after he betrayed Jesus: “…and he went and hanged himself.” The person, now somewhat distraught, thinks to himself, “This can’t be right. Let me try again.” So he takes his Bible, lets it fall open to a random page again, and his eyes land on Luke 10:37: “Go, and do thou likewise.”

I’m not diminishing the fact that God can indeed speak to us through individual verses; however, it is wiser and more advisable to read the Bible and draw from it using the entire story or situation presented. Otherwise, if you take a verse here and a verse there, you could end up, like the person in the above story, receiving the wrong message. That could lead to error and misunderstanding. Read and observe the surrounding verses and to whom those verses were written. If the study of a verse out of context from the surrounding verses suggests a different meaning than the entire passage portrays, then your understanding is in error.

God’s Word is meaningful to us, but the meaning is not only derived from the verse or section itself but also from the passages surrounding it. Taking Scriptures in context can help prevent confusion, error, and incorrect interpretations. On the positive side, it can help you get the most out of your Bible study and come to know the full meaning of the Scriptures in your study.

About The Author Jenice Saint is a graduate of Lee University. She sings on the praise team at Grace Community Church in Cleveland, Tennessee.