Crisis Moves Us

Sometimes it takes a crisis to move us closer to God, to deepen our faith walk. I spent some time this morning talking with a young lady that is moving through crisis. She expressed that she was glad for this crisis, it is this crisis that has "opened" her eyes. Because of this crisis she is moving back into a right relationship with God. The crisis in her life is the result of choices made.

Christmas time makes me think of another crisis. Imagine what it must have been like for Joseph to receive word that Mary was pregnant and he knew he wasn't the father. I would call that a crisis. What would the family think? How would they be looked on by the community? Lots of questions would have rolled through my mind if I was Joseph. Joseph's crisis was a God given crisis.

Whether a God given crisis or a crisis that is the result of choices the crisis can move us closer to God. We can also make the choice to allow crisis to move us away from God. I believe God often uses crisis to get our attention and turn us in the right direction, towards him.

We probably all know someone that seems to be in constant crisis. Are they continually making poor choices? Possibly. Are they ignoring God's movement in their life? Possibly. I've seen Christians hit rock bottom. They have turned from their faith and turned their back on God and then find themselves in a horrible situation but still don't surrender.

The prodigal son, he had to hit rock bottom. He was looking at pig slop (Nasty!) and considering eating some of it. It was only when he encountered crisis that he turned and ran home to daddy.

We, as parents, have to teach our kids how to handle crisis. What do we do when crisis hits? They are watching and more is caught than taught. Our children need to learn that crisis can be the result of choices made, usually poor ones, but that they can also come from God. Ultimately we need to teach them that crisis gives us an opportunity to strengthen our faith in a God who is control, sovereign.