©Laurie Pace 2024
Disasters and misfortune are woven in the fabric of all our lives. They appear without warning and can leave one with devastation that threatens existence or even life itself. In most cases we are changed.
From weather related storms, to massive earthquakes, gun violence, illness, anger and misunderstandings, job loss, divorce, auto accidents, and more, we all face them in our lives. Each one of us will navigate them differently.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own insight. in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3: 5-6
My husband once said, ”What doesn’t kill you will strengthen you.” With age comes wisdom from experience. With trials comes the experience. What are your coping skills? As a mother or a father, you often grasp at what you have experienced in life, trying to use it to guide and prepare your children for these challenges. What was missing for me was the simplicity of God’s presence. I was raised in church but perhaps the generation that raised me was one that was taught not to complain, not to ‘hang out the family laundry’ for all to see and know. What was missing was the mention of God in my everyday life and especially His presence in simpler trials of mild illness, bike crashes and scrapped knees, burning my hand on the stove… how would I cope as an adult? I had my Teddy Bear, and I thought it was all I needed.
It seems reasonable reading this through out the Bible, that God is with us all the time. He walks with us and He goes before us. Teaching our youngest from early days about the indwelling Holy Spirit could give them powerful skills in navigating small disasters and missed steps. They will question ‘why would God want this to happen to me’, no different than an adult facing challenges. We must strengthen our inner core to trust God with everything and we must teach our children.
With illness, God is there, and your body is priming that immune system to grow and be stronger with each virus. Bacteria strikes and today we are blessed to have antibiotics if necessary, but our bodies can fight those infections off as well.
The loss of a family member is inevitable. Today it could be old age, illness like cancer, a car accident, playing sports, swimming,…the list goes on. Again teach your child The Father is present in every second of their life. Teach them how to talk with Him, and show them the way as you walk them through it each time.
The safety and comfort is knowing whatever the disaster or misfortune, we are not alone. We have God always. In addition we have friends or family that can shore us up with our earthly journey needs.
Stop and realize how many people die in floods, earthquakes and natural disasters? In the blink of an eye, lives are lost.
In another aspect of this, there are the quiet disasters of alcohol abuse, drug abuse, child abuse, sexual abuse, self harm, bullying, and the psychological and physical damage that affects the victim. The memories stay for life. They shape each victim mentally and physically. Without God’s love in our lives, we cannot heal fully.
Focus on Him and let go of the worry. Freedom from anxiety is through God. We learn to worry as a tiny baby starting with crying when we are hungry. Even when life is going well, we worry. The ‘what if’s’ crowd our mind.
Proverbs 12:25 “Anxiety weighs down the heart.” All through the Bible it cautions against worry. We must learn to clear the mind and let the worry go. We must teach our children the same lifetime skills.
We must find peace in the "disasters of life". God is that peace. Nothing changes with worry or tears. Everything changes with God as He walks with us. He is our Father in all ways. He knows what is happening before it even happens.
Follow the Spirit of the Paint... Laurie
Laurie Pace - A Texas Artist
Laurie is an international artist, her paintings are collected in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Germany, DuBai, Portugal, Italy, France, Germany, the UK, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Poland, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, St Thomas, Romania, Greece, Croatia, and Ecuador.
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