DAY 29

FLASH FLOOD

FRANKLIN MCMANUS, ASSISTANT YOUTH PASTOR, THE WOODS CHURCH

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. Matthew 7:24–25

Ever been caught in a storm you didn’t see coming? I don’t mean just the weather; life has a way of throwing sudden storms at us. This summer, I was in Tennessee on our annual Summer Trip with 100 of our youth students, cruising through the mountains in a caravan of nine vehicles. We were talking and playing road trip games, enjoying each other’s company, when, out of nowhere, the rain hit. I'm talking about a torrential downpour, so much water, we couldn’t see the road in front of us. It was like someone flipped a switch. The rain was so thick that it made everything around us disappear. We slowed down, uncertain of the path ahead. All we could do was trust that the road was still there, even if we couldn’t see it.

It didn’t take long for the storm to pass. Just as quickly as it came, the clouds cleared, and we were back to sunshine. But as I sat there, barely able to see the road, I couldn’t help but think: this is what life can feel like sometimes. One minute, everything is going great, clear skies, smooth sailing. The next, life throws a storm at you, and suddenly, everything is blurry. Your vision is clouded, and you wonder what happened to the calm you were enjoying. It’s in these moments that we’re forced to trust that the road is still there, even if we can’t see it.

Life isn’t always predictable. We’ve all experienced those times when things seemed like they were going well, and then suddenly, the storm hits. Maybe it’s a job loss, a broken relationship, an unexpected health diagnosis, or a sudden change in plans. These are the moments that can make everything feel uncertain, just like being stuck in a storm with no clear direction. But as much as we might not expect it, these storms are part of life. We can’t always control when they come, but we can control how we respond.

Jesus speaks about this in Matthew 7 when He compares two people: one who builds his house on the rock, and the other who builds it on the sand. The rains come. The winds blow. The storm hits. But because the foundation is solid, the house on the rock stands firm. That’s the difference between weathering a storm and being knocked over by it. The difference is in what you’re built on.

Trusting God is easy when everything’s smooth, right? When life is calm, when the skies are clear, it feels good to say, “I’m trusting in God.” But when the storm rolls in, when the road ahead is unclear, that’s when our faith is tested. When life gets tough, do we still feel solid, like our foundation won’t shake? Or do we feel like we’re being tossed around, like we might fall apart?

I’ve had plenty of storms in my own life, the kind where the road ahead isn’t clear. The kind where all I could do was lean into God and trust He was still there, even if I couldn’t see the next step. There were moments when I felt lost and unsure, but those were also the moments when I had no choice but to lean on Him. Prayer became my anchor. And it’s the same for all of us. In those times when we can’t see the road ahead, prayer helps us trust that God is with us, guiding us, even when we can’t see the path forward.

Prayer isn’t just about asking God to fix things. It’s about staying connected with Him, trusting that He’s in control when everything else feels out of control. I learned that the hard way, in those seasons where all I could do was hold on and pray for guidance. It wasn’t always about asking God for an immediate answer or a quick fix, it was about seeking His presence and trusting that He would carry me through the storm. There’s something incredibly powerful about simply being in His presence during the hard times. Even if the storm hasn’t passed yet, there’s peace in knowing He’s there with you.

Think back to the storms in your life. Were you leaning into God, trusting Him even when things weren’t clear? Or were you trying to figure it all out on your own? The truth is, we can’t navigate the stormy seasons of life without His help. Prayer is the difference between staying grounded in the storm and being tossed around by it. Prayer gives us the strength to remember that even when the rain is pouring, the road is still there, and God is still guiding us.

In Matthew 7, Jesus tells us that it’s not enough to just hear His words. We need to put them into practice. And one of the best ways to do that is through prayer, constantly talking to Him, staying in communication with Him. As we build that habit, we strengthen our foundation so that when the storm comes, we’re ready. And when the storm passes, we stand firm, knowing we’ve been anchored in Him the whole time.

When we build our lives on Christ, we build on something solid. The storm may come, but the rock will remain. The winds will blow, but our foundation will hold. Christ is our constant, our refuge, and our strength, and He will never leave us. When we trust in Him, we are able to weather anything that life throws our way. We may not always understand why the storm comes, but we can trust that God is faithful, and that He will guide us through it.

PRAYER: As you enter your time of prayer, think about the storms you may face in the future. Are you building your life on the rock of Christ? Are you seeking God during the calm so that you can stand firm when the storm comes? Take a moment to pray for the strength to trust Him, even when you can’t see the road ahead, and for the wisdom to build your foundation on His Word. Ask God to guide you through every storm and help you stand firm in His promises.