Encouragement
When you are upright and walking you will always have a storm to fight through. On the ocean, it is the same way. Every sea captain of any ship both now and in the past probably has at least one if not many stories about making it through stormy seas. What that might look like to each of them may be completely different. Each storm might of been different. One hundred years ago, storms might have meant capsized boats or the death of crew members and/or captains. Today, it might mean the risk of hitting shallow waters, rocks or ground. Either way, the captains have to rely on what they know and their crews in hopes to get through it.
Today, life is much of the same. Several hundreds of miles west of us, people are dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, while some of us might be dealing with another type of storm. We are the captains, who do we have as our crew? What or who are we going to rely on to get us through? Is it a deck of tarot cards, crystals, or science? What about God?
Let us just assume that I am the captain and my ship. I am in one stormy sea after the next. My storms may not be physical; I am in a storm pertaining to the death of my brother, storm with how people think I should feel, in a storm about dealing with my mom’s needs, in a storm with my physical body, and in a storm pertaining to my immediate family. Sometimes my storms can get daunting and I lose much sleep over them. Other times, my storms are tiresome and I can’t get enough sleep. In each storm I lose much and have to think of ways to get through without what I used to have. I am sure you have been there, I’m sure some of you might be there now. Who will you turn to, to get through this storm? Some people think a crystal or rock will help me get through it. I have heard people say if I had more money that would help. My favorite one is that I should eat more to feed my storms. Pretty sure none of those are going to help me get through them! My plan isn’t always the easiest, but I believe it is the right one and the ONLY one that will get me through the storms: ask God for strength.
Throughout the Old and New Testament, the Bible talks about who we should ask for help in times of trouble.
Deuteronomy 31:6 says to be strong and courageous, not to fear because God will be with you. Isaiah 41:10 speaks about how we should not fear because God is with us and he will strengthen us. Hebrew 13:6 says that we need to say with confidence how the Lord is our helper. Luke 12:7 states that God sees you more important than the birds of the air.
In the interlineal Bible: the old testament is written in the Hebrew, but the words can be translated into, Hebrew, English and Greek. In Deuteronomy 31:6 the word for ‘Do not’ can be translated in to the Greek word, oopo, meaning, ‘do not yet’. This can also mean, ‘wait before’. The word for courage in the Greek is tolma, meaning, to step into boldness or to boldly believe that God will provide help even in the darkest of times.
Who will you get to help you through this storm?