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This time of year can be especially challenging for many people. It can almost be a disconnect with the world around you. Often this can be do to a traumatic experience, grief and loss. While others have joy and happiness it can seem like all you see are raging storm clouds. The thing about these type of storms is that they can seem all powerful as you stand dwarfed by dark clouds, thunder and lightning. The wind can pummel you and try to take your breath away. It is at these times we tend to want to curl into ourselves and try to wait out the storm; hoping that we make it through. It can seem as though all we can do is allow it to pummel us and hope that we survive it. These feelings are very real and many people struggle with them but they are not the truth. Daniel found himself in the middle of such overwhelming circumstances. He was thrown down a pit to be eaten by hungry lions! Though it seemed all was lost He was not alone. “Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.”” Daniel 6:21-22 NKJV God stepped into Daniel’s storm and not only kept him through it but He also redeemed him from the dark storm that had raged around him. Often when we face storms in life we think we need to get through them to find the sun again but the truth is the sun is there always above the storm and is assaulting the storm to break through it and to dissipate it; just as God is always with you. It is important that we don’t let the dark clouds, wind and rain intimidate us into believing a lie. The enemy likes to overwhelm us with how we feel so that we forget that God has imbued us with power to speak to these storms and say “Be still!” “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” Romans 8:11 -12 We are not powerless in the face of the storm but neither can we be passive. God as given us authority that we may be like Jesus in the earth. “And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”” Matthew 16:19 NKJV If you find yourself facing a storm remember 1. that despite the darkness God is working for your blessing, He loves you and is near to you. 2. He has given us authority to separate our emotions from His truth. We can safely pour out our heart and emotions to Him and than apply the beautiful healing salve of Scripture to our wounds. 3. Storms always pass and the sun does come out again. I pray this Christmas you feel the presence of God in a deeply new and overwhelming way.