Stepping Stones: Who's Your Lighthouse?

Transformational Tip
We all experience storms in our lives. Maybe you are currently in the midst of a storm...maybe multiple storms. Storms are a certainty. How do you react to the storms; With peace or panic? Storms are tremendous opportunities to learn a lot about ourselves. One key lesson is "where do I get my confidence, guidance, or hope from?" Put another way, "Who is going to be my Lighthouse - me, the world, another person, or God?" When we get upset in a difficult situation, we are usually getting our confidence from ourselves, or sometimes others. A constant battle goes on inside of us. I strive to be independent, master of my destiny, take care of my needs, not be reliant on anyone else. This protects me from being hurt, let down by others and just seems more efficient to cut others out of the loop when I need something. These breed a false sense of confidence/reliance in myself, my abilities, assets, or what I can evoke in others. God desires us to turn to Him, accept His protection and provision for us, and let Him grow us. He will grow us quicker, more efficiently, and with less pain than we will grow us. We really need to get our confidence in the many everyday situations from knowing who God is, what His promises are, and what His word teaches. When we see situations and act based on our confidence in God, life and especially storms, are easier and actually growing experiences.
Looking back I see the major storms in my life actually changed my direction pushing me onto a better path of becoming Christ-like and developing the mind of Christ. More importantly, they provided the opportunity to look for and find God as my Lighthouse, where the best and ultimate safety and guidance will be.
As a believer you will find that the Lighthouse (God) will not only show you the path forward step by step, but the lighthouse will also lead you to a place of refuge, a place of shelter to endure the storm. Meet today's storm...or your next storm (for surely they will come) with peace not panic. Take the opportunity to look for your personal Lighthouse of guidance and sanctuary.

Prayer
Father God,
When I meet with the storms of life, help me to go through them in peace and not panic. I know that to get to where You want to take me, I must go through certain storms. In Your wisdom, You have designed that in the storms, I come to know You and Your loving provision, shelter, and calm. It is not in the calms of life where I realize that I will not go under, but during the storms. Allow me to get my confidence, hope, and assurance from You and not me, because I know I am limited, weak, and not capable of controlling everything like You can, Thank You for being my Lighthouse during the storms. Thank You that during all of life's storms there is a perfect place of refuge...a fortress of Divine grace to see me through.
In Jesus' name, my ultimate refuge, I pray - AMEN!

The Truth
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and fortress: my God; in Him will I trust. Surely He shall deliver me.
Psalm 91:1-3
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
James 1:2-4
as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.
Phillipians 1:20