When life becomes chaotic, it is natural to try to take control and manage life’s circumstances by adopting the mindset, “Where there’s a will there’s a way.” Sometimes, with hard work and determination, you do get what you want. But other times, no matter how hard you try, peace eludes you and things may even get worse. Hard times can reveal how limited your control is over yourself, others, and the circumstances in life.

Imagine a bird flying headlong into the strong wind of an approaching storm. It can fly with all its might and not move forward an inch despite great effort. Have you ever felt like that bird when you are trying to navigate a storm of life? Like you are not moving forward because you lack direction, didn’t anticipate the storm’s severity, or don’t know whether to fly or take shelter? What if all that you needed to do to find strength, protection, direction, and peace was to trust and rely upon God?

When I first confessed my pornography struggle my whole life became a hurricane. I didn’t know if everything I loved would be destroyed. I didn’t know where to take shelter or where to turn to safety. Thankfully, I found direction by turning to God’s people who directed me to God’s Word. Step by step, my wife and I moved through the storm by God’s direction and strength. When the storm was over, we had learned how to build a stronger home and were able to teach others how to trust God through their storms. Today, I am even thankful for the way God used the storm in our lives because it helped us learn how to trust Him through chaos.

Trusting God to deliver you safely from a storm isn’t easy. Trusting God to carry you through a storm is even more difficult. That type of trust is called faith. God has the knowledge to direct you to safety and the strength to carry you through gale-force winds. Sometimes God gives you clear direction and tells you to fly; other times he asks you to wait patiently for His guidance and strength. But whatever His instruction, know that God loves you. He wants the best for you.

There will be times when you feel like taking control from God, but remember, managing your own storms got you into recovery. Often, the urgency to take control comes from fear instead of trusting in God. If you trust God, looking to His Word and His people for direction, He will direct you through the storms of life.

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