Nevertheless
And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” And he went with him. Mark 5:21-24
The little girl was 12-years-old. The dad was desperate. He literally fell at the feet of Jesus crying, begging. Jesus went with him to see his daughter.
When times are good, when there doesn’t seem to be any storm in life, when the world seems like a bright place, when the business is going great, when friends and relationships are smooth, when the marriage is in a great place, when our health is good, when our future is seemingly certain, when money is plentiful, our savings accounts are full, faith tends to come easy.
When in this situation, praise God. Know that all blessings flow from Him. Grow and build your faith through spiritual disciplines. Help those that need help. Live in the world of ministry to others. Sit with others as the rain, thunder, and lightning crashes in on someone’s life. Humbly, know that at some point you will need someone to sit with you. Use the gift of peace in your life to serve others.
Because, at some point in life, the script will flip. Like the scene with the dad in the story above, the storm will arise. Adrian Rogers used to say at all times, we each find ourselves in one of three places in life. Either we are in a storm, headed to a storm, or coming out of a storm.
Some in storms may find themselves saying that faith just doesn’t work for them. Understandable. In the story above, Jesus leaves with the young ruler and heals his daughter. But, what if he doesn’t. No words can heal. No eloquent speech can bring sense to the situation. And, we will all be there. All peace will be gone.
The writer of Psalm 73, found himself here.
When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you.
Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:21-26
In fact, many times in Psalms, we find a writer emotionally unloading their heart to God, then they use a phrase like “nevertheless” to still the storm, as if to say, “regardless of the situation, I know who you are, God. I will put my heart, eyes, and prayer to you, God.” The storms subsides as the writing continues after the “nevertheless.”
In the storms in my life, I regularly go back to a couple of different places in Scripture.
Matthew 28:20 that says that Jesus is with us always. When I have nothing else, when everything in the world through my eyes is wrong, I know He is with me. This is enough.
And, Romans 8:38-39, that backs this verse up saying that nothing can separate us from Him.
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39
Everyone will find themselves in a place where they question God, if He is real or not. There will be many “why’s” with no answer. As a friend, our job isn’t to answer the “why.” Our job is to sit in the rain with them, knowing that we, too, will be under the storm at some point in our life.
And, when we find ourselves there, let the words after “nevertheless” sooth the soul as we depend on Him.
Sit with someone in the rain today.
Impact others. Live generously.