The songwriter says “one of the most difficult things to do is, find yourself in a storm. And while in that storm it seems like everyone who you thought that you could count on has walked away. Sometimes it seems like even God himself has, forgotten about you. But in spite of that, to still be able to lift your hands and say, Lord I trust you”.

This statement rang so true for me a few years ago. I was deep in the middle of my storm and it seemed like it was never going to end. It seems like the storm would never ease up. I was going through so much mentally, emotionally and physically. It also began to take a toll on me physically. All of the friends that I thought I could count on, people who I was there for, seemed too preoccupied with their own lives to worry about me and what I was going through. I remember days that I would just lay on the cold bathroom floor because it was somehow soothing to me. I would sob until I was hyperventilating and couldn’t breathe. My heart was breaking in so many ways and so many pieces, I was sure it would never be able to be whole again. I used to just ask God to stop my heart; to stop blood from flowing to and from it. I just wanted the pain to end. I just wanted some peace. I felt so alone, even when I was in a room full of people. This was one of the most difficult times of my life but it was also one of the most transforming time as well. It was in those dark moments that I learned how to pray and lean on God. It was during this time that I stopped reciting those prayers that my mother taught me, or that I learned in sabbath school and Vacation Bible school and started pouring my heart out to God. It was then that I learned that when times are hard I can only trust God. He is the only one that will be there for me no matter what. He is the only one that promises that even when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death that I should fear no evil because he will be with me. It was then I learned how to make my petition known to him. He was then I learned how to praise God in advance in what he was going to do for me. As much as I would not want to relive those moments, I am grateful and thankful for them. It has made me a more humble person, I am more compassionate towards others and more importantly my faith in God grew stronger. It allowed me to have a closer walk with God. I had no choice but to lean on and depend on him. I realized that sometimes God had to remove all of the distractions and crutches from our lives so that we can focus on him. He has to make us aware that he in our help in the time of trouble, he is our refuge and strength. Our minds and vision might be clouded by the people that he places in our lives to help us and we may begin to think that it is them who is keeping us. Sometimes he has to make it painfully obvious to us that it is he who wakes us up each morning and provides for you. You may be going through some dark times right now and it may seem like the walls are closing in on you and you have no way out. You may be experiencing that friendships are drifting and you cannot really count on your loved ones. I urge you instead of being upset and wallowing in self pity to use this time to get closer to God. Grab hold of his unchanging hand. Pray more, read your bible and constantly seek after him and his kingdom. Praise him at all times, and watch him move mountains and do wonders in your life. After all, the best and safest place to be is in the arms of God.