God, where are you?

When flood waters rise and unrelenting rain pours from the sky, God where are you?
When fires rage, consuming everything in their destructive path, God where are you?
When hurricanes churn in open waters, terrorizing those in their paths, God where are you?
When a grim-faced doctor reveals a life-changing diagnosis, God where are you?
When nations war against nations, people against people, brothers against brothers, God where are you?
When children are buried, marriages dissolve, and hurting souls take their own lives, God where are you?

I AM here.

The words float toward earth—billowing echoes from the throne of Heaven.

I AM here, the echo repeats, I’m closer than the air you breathe, nearer then the heart beating in your chest.

I AM standing beside you, giving you strength.

I AM whispering peace in your ear.

I AM holding your hand as you stand in broken disbelief.

I AM stroking your hair, catching your tears.

I AM waiting within the pages of My Word.

I AM longing for you to look to Me.

I AM the Sovereign God who promises to never leave you nor forsake you.

I AM brokenhearted with you. I AM grieving with you. I AM saddened with you.

But I AM also the author of Hope, and dear one, your story is not over, this moment does not define you. This storm will pass, and you…my precious child, you will be stronger, braver, bolder. You will be changed because you saw Me in the midst of the storm.

For when you see Me—when you look past the visible, into the face of the eternal—you will never be the same.

This is my promise to you:
In Me you will find strength and peace and rest.
In Me you will find hope and courage and wisdom.
In Me you will find refuge and protection and light.

In Me you will find….life.

Many claim to know me, and to some extent they do, yet they do not always portray Me accurately.

Many assume they know me and delight in spouting off trite facts and false claims, this grieves my heart, for it is not who I am.

Many preach condemnation in my name, telling hurting souls that their storm is my wrath poured out on them. Dear one do not believe them. You see, the Father’s wrath was poured out on the cross, on Me. I bore His wrath—for you. Storms are not God’s wrath against mankind, they are simply….storms.

Yet, many cry out “But You can stop the storm.” And yes, yes, I can, but I do not always do so. And this is hard for you to understand. I know that it is and I understand, because my child, my ways are infinitely more complex than you are able to comprehend.

This is why I long for you to know Who I Am, for in knowing Who I Am, you will trust me in the storm.

I have made it as simple as I can for you to know Me. I AM there in the pages of your Bible. That book you have is not a book of rules. It is not a book of condemnation. It is not a book of bedtime stories or fables. And it is not a how-to-book of good living.

It is My Word.
It is My face reflected on thin pages.
It is a portrait of Me.

Read it and search for Me.

Cling to it and ask Me to reveal Myself. I promise I will.

The waters may not recede as quickly as you would like, the hurricane may not dissipate, the diagnosis may remain, but you will be changed.

You will be strengthened when you see My strength.

And you will be filled with Hope when You see my face.

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Praying for everyone affected by storms, fires, pain and heartbreak today. May the God of all comfort, comfort you as only He can—by wrapping His steadfast arms of Love tightly around you and giving you His perfect boundless peace as you seek His beautiful face.

Much love,
Jen