“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against the house, and it fell with a great crash.”
Matthew 7:24-27
Storms will come. No life is without trials. When those trials come, we will face the emotions and natural responses that are ingrained in humans: fear, anxiety, worry, anger, frustration, confusion, and so much more. One thing that sets Christ-followers apart is not our lack of emotion but the foundation that steadies us when storms hit. What keeps us standing is our faith in and love for Jesus Christ; He is our rock.
The key to entering this house with a sure foundation is in putting God’s Word into practice. Go back to our verses for today: everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice vs everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice.
The difference between us falling during the storm or being steadfast in the storm is whether we practice what we hear from God. And hearing from God requires reading His Word and talking to Him daily. Hearing Him requires relationship.
God invites us into a close relationship to Him. We know this because He tells us repeatedly in His Word that He is close, that He whispers to us in a still, small voice (if He were far away, He would need to yell), and that He draws near to those who draw near to Him.
Once we make it a habit to live attuned to the Father, abiding in Christ and obeying the whispers of the Holy Spirit, we will discover that storms may shake our house, but they won’t destroy us. We’ll feel the power of the storm, we’ll even see its effects on our lives, but the power of our God is far greater than the storm. His power will sustain us, calm us, comfort us, and draw us near in life’s storms.
When the storm finally ends and we go check to see what damage has been done, we’ll discover that the storm has washed us clean, torn weaknesses away, and made room for God to renovate our lives with amazing upgrades.
I’ve experienced this in my life. When it felt like the storms razed my house to its foundation, I discovered that what remained was solid rock. Many of my old thought patterns were destroyed because they needed to go, all that I had built using clay and straw was removed, and God rebuilt my home (my heart) with precious materials that would last through the next storms.
The storm we are in may wreck us. But let’s not forget the restorative power of our God. Hold tight to Him and practice applying His Word. You’ll find that God is more than enough to carry you through, keep you standing, and rebuild better than ever.
May the storms of life spark a desire for closeness to God.