Crying Out

“Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship.” Jonah 1:4-5

When our lives are interrupted with a ‘violent storm’ of circumstances it doesn’t just happen to one person. Every member of the family has a ticket punched on that voyage. While a painful trial may affect an entire family the journey of each person represent very individual faith walks.

I have been so blessed to be aboard ship during the violent storms of cancer wherein each of my family members cried out to the One true God for deliverance. How sad it is when people do not have clear understanding of what God can produce in times of adversity. The temptation to ‘cry out to his own god’ is never so close as when the heart is breaking and searching for any god of comfort.

Through the cancer journeys of my family, God navigated the ship and we survived the violent emotions. Other times in my life, I didn’t have the resolve and faith required to keep me fearless in the face of suffering. I searched for gods of comfort where comfort would not be found. In our walk through life’s adversities we build a stronger faith allowing us to weather future storms with more success.

Through the challenging interruptions of life God has shown me His divine intervention in these circumstances as He builds a waterproof vessel of faith navigating me through rough waters. He is the ultimate Shipbuilder and Captain desiring to chart out our course and take us to places of faith for which we have never been before. When we cry out to the One true God we can trust our ships will not break up against the surging waves and violent storms.

Make us a vessel of strength and faith, O Lord!