#6 Shelter in the Storm

I want to share a little something from a personal chapter. Starting this new job has been rough for me. Not because construction is particularly new or taxing, but because God has been using it to do some very deep healing. And although that healing has brought my life to wondrous new heights, it has also taken its toll on me. But one adventure in particular stands out to me. This is the story I would like to share.

In all due honesty, the actual workload of construction hasn’t really scared me. I’m used to physically demanding work. That’s not to say I don’t have room to grow and develop physically, it just means that a hard day’s work doesn’t really scare me. However, with heavy work comes a whole truckload of scruffy personalities. That is definitely the real challenge to this line of work. Honestly, some days, I wake up and really pray I didn’t have to deal with certain people. 

And these scruffy personalities are tapping into some personal stuff, to the point where some days all I can pray is “God, sending out an SOS, here,” just to get through the day. I sent one of those out this last week. Things were far better than the week before, but I was still confused about what everything meant. I felt like shadrach, meshach, and abednego, standing in the fiery furnace (check it out in Daniel 3 if you aren’t familiar with the story.) Albeit, I definitely had my fourth right beside me, but this whole thing was wearing me out, and fast. I felt like I was going to collapse if God didn’t show up. I needed a word from on high.

Then God hit me with three of them. The first was in my morning time. I was reading Isaiah 42, when the third verse slapped me like a fish across the face:

“a bruised reed He (The LORD) will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; He will faithfully bring forth justice.”

That felt like the response that I needed, but I was still a little skeptical. So I said “God, I am definitely your bruised reed, broken and crushed. I’m burnt and bleeding. I’m not sure how I’m going to survive this madness! If that verse is from you then I’ll keep watch for your next move. I guess thank you in advance?” And the very next day, I got pulled for a project on a team that was short-staffed. These guys were saints compared to the monsters I had been working with. 

That was two, I guess. 

But God wasn’t finished there. No, He always blesses abundantly. You see, the next day was saturday. I went to the gym as I always do, and stopped at the grocery store afterwards. As I stepped out of my car, I looked behind me and saw the rain clouds that were just passing by. And in the midst of those dark clouds was a little rainbow. Now, my mind typically doesn’t do this, but today it immediately snapped to the original rainbow that God made for Noah as he came out of the ark. I know it was meant to be a sign that God would never flood humanity ever again, but today it felt like God was saying He’d never flood me again. 

“I will not break you.” was what echoed from deep within me. 

I immediately knew that it was meant to go along with the last two signs. My heart melted a little inside. Because I’m so cautious, I still hold my breath to see if I’m still going to be in God’s safe-zone each day, but every day He keeps me there, and every day I’m a little more grateful for all of the ruckus He is keeping me out of. Sometimes you need to pray to be pulled out of the action, and humble yourself enough to admit that the battle before you would be more than you could handle. 

And that’s why I’m sharing my story with you. I want you to know that even in times of growth and challenging development, you aren’t just thrown to the wolves. The refining process, the journey of growth, it’s all about cultivating a change. Whether it’s through hard times or soft ones, it’s all about confronting your own soul. It’s about going through the depths of your hurts and insecurities, rather than just setting yourself on fire for the heck of it. People like David Goggins and his followers might tell you to just keep pushing your limits. But if you’re on the verge of collapse, if you have picked a fight with a beast that’s bigger than you, there’s no shame in requesting backup. And I believe that someone upstairs is ready and willing to provide it. You simply need to ask. 

And that’s what I pray for you. I pray you swallow your pride and ask for help. I pray you are willing to follow where He might want to take you, and to open yourself to His solutions. I pray you find your way in darkness, and that He brings you comfort when you are bruised and broken. He cares for you more than you’ll ever know. You just have to send Him the invite and He will show up. 

Until next time

May Peace be your Guide.