October 22, 2024 • 10 mins
Can God's unwavering goodness truly shine through the darkest of storms? Join us as we explore this poignant question, reflecting on the community spirit that emerged in Sarasota, Florida, following Hurricane Milton. With heartfelt stories of neighbors becoming friends through acts of kindness, we discover the profound impact of faith and compassion in times of adversity. Drawing from biblical passages like Lamentations 3 and Isaiah 43:2, we delve into the comforting presence of God as both a refuge and a guide, providing hope and strength when it’s needed most. Experience firsthand accounts of resilience and the transformative power of God’s enduring presence, likened to a lighthouse guiding us through turbulent seas.
In this enriching episode of Beyond Sunday, we shift our focus to finding joy amidst life’s inevitable trials. God's mercies, renewed daily, offer a steadfast anchor amidst challenges, and we discuss how His goodness actively pursues us, offering peace through surrender. We invite you to anchor yourself in these truths, allowing them to uplift your spirit and strengthen your faith each day. Excitingly, this conversation sets the stage for our upcoming discussion on John, chapter 16, where we'll explore how to embrace joy even in difficult circumstances. Join us to carry these uplifting messages forward, transforming trials into opportunities for spiritual growth and connection.
In this enriching episode of Beyond Sunday, we shift our focus to finding joy amidst life’s inevitable trials. God's mercies, renewed daily, offer a steadfast anchor amidst challenges, and we discuss how His goodness actively pursues us, offering peace through surrender. We invite you to anchor yourself in these truths, allowing them to uplift your spirit and strengthen your faith each day. Excitingly, this conversation sets the stage for our upcoming discussion on John, chapter 16, where we'll explore how to embrace joy even in difficult circumstances. Join us to carry these uplifting messages forward, transforming trials into opportunities for spiritual growth and connection.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome back to Beyond Sunday, where faith meets
life every day of the week.
I'm your host, nick Williams,and today we're diving deep into
a topic that touches every oneof us who have ever faced
adversity the enduring goodnessof God, especially in the
aftermath of the storms of life,or, for those here in Sarasota,
florida, the actual storm,hurricane Milton.
(00:22):
I don't know if you've kept upwith the news or maybe you live
here locally and experienced it,but it has been a crazy week
and a half, honestly a crazy twomonths, as we've had multiple
storms come through hurricanes,but this last one definitely
took a toll on the city, and soI preached a sermon two weeks
ago and have not had time to doa podcast with all the disaster
(00:44):
relief that's been going on, andso I wanted to take a moment
and just revisit that message alittle bit, but give you a
little bit of a differentperspective on it as well.
Have you ever stood amidst theaftermath of a storm, literal or
metaphorical, and wonderedwhere God was in all the chaos?
If so, you're not alone in this.
Today, we're going to explorehow God's goodness is not just a
(01:07):
fair-weather friend, but asteadfast promise in the
stormiest times.
Just last week, as winds howledand rains lashed against our
homes, the reality of ourvulnerability was starkly
illuminated.
In today's session, we'llexplore how, amidst such trials,
the goodness of God acts asboth a refuge and a guide.
(01:28):
As we reflect on the recenthurricane, it's crucial to
remind ourselves of God'sunfailing mercy and presence,
which remain constant even inthe most turbulent times.
Consider Lamentations, chapter3, where we read because of the
Lord's great love, we are notconsumed First.
Compassions never fail.
(01:48):
They are new every morning.
Great is your faithfulness.
It's still happening Neighborshelping neighbors, strangers
becoming friends.
The amount of people that showedup to church this weekend that
(02:09):
said, we came because we wantedto see and meet the people that
jumped in and helped us whenthey didn't even know us it was
startling.
I was excited to see the factthat our church got so involved
in the community.
And it wasn't just the staff,it wasn't just the main
volunteers that run the churchday to day.
It was a little bit ofeverybody.
Just the main volunteers thatrun the church day-to-day, it
was a little bit of everybody.
And it's in these acts ofkindness and mercy that we see
(02:29):
the tangible expressions ofGod's compassion and
faithfulness mirrored inhumanity.
I talked to the staff thismorning as we met for our weekly
staff meeting.
We always start the staffmeeting the same way, talking
about what have we seen God doin the last week that we wanna
celebrate, and I think that'simportant to keep those
celebration moments in front ofus, because sometimes life can
(02:49):
get hard and sometimes we canforget those moments.
So, as a staff, we try tocelebrate them every week, and
this morning was no different,except there was a lot to
celebrate.
I heard stories of differenthomes that were touched,
different people that we wereable to help, and the amount of
supplies that went out of thischurch from donations that we
(03:09):
got from around the country wasabsolutely incredible.
On that thought, I want toencourage you to start each day
by recognizing and acknowledgingGod's mercies.
Whether it's the safety of yourhome, the support of a friend
or even a moment of peace amidstchaos, recognizing these
(03:30):
moments can significantly shiftour perspective and strengthen
our faith.
Now, moving beyond mereacknowledgement of God's mercies
, let's consider how hispresence guides us, much like a
lighthouse guiding ships throughstormy seas.
Isaiah 43.2 reassures us whenyou pass through the waters, I
(03:52):
will be with you.
When you pass through therivers.
They will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,you will not be burned, the
flames will not set you ablaze.
Think about a lighthouse for amoment.
I don't know when I saw myfirst lighthouse in life.
The one I probably remember themost is in St Augustine,
florida, only because I saw it afew years ago.
(04:13):
But they always amaze mebecause I always wonder how that
small little building on theedge of the sea with a light
just circling around is enoughto keep a ship out of danger.
So think about a lighthousestanding firm amid the storm.
It's light, a constant guide.
God's word and his presenceserve a similar role in our
(04:35):
lives, guiding us through life'sdarkest moments.
So, for you, consider a currentchallenge or fire in your life,
if you will.
How can you more concisely relyon God's promise to be with you
?
Perhaps start each day with aprayer for his guidance and
presence to be evident in yourlife.
Bring God, hey, today.
(04:56):
Be my guide, be that lampbefore my feet.
God, allow me to know, and bevery evident, that the direction
I'm headed is the directionyou've called me to.
And if it's not, god redirectme In the darkest valleys of
life.
Our understanding of God'snature profoundly affects how we
(05:18):
endure and overcome hardships.
Psalm 23, 4 offers comfort Eventhough I walk through the
darkest valley, I will fear noevil, for you are with me, your
rod and your staff.
They comfort me.
There was a time when I faced apersonal loss so deep that it
felt like walking through a darkvalley.
In that season, feeling God'scomforting presence as a father
(05:42):
and a friend brought solace andstrength that I couldn't have
found anywhere else.
And it wasn't like in thosemoments I didn't still pray God.
Where are you, god?
Why is this happening?
I still had the normal prayersthat people pray, but I wouldn't
have survived that seasonwithout the understanding of God
as my father and as my friend.
(06:03):
So for you, reflect on a recenttrial where you felt alone.
How might your experiencechange if you viewed God not as
just as a sovereign creator, butas close as a friend or a
father?
See, god's goodness isn't just apassive attribute.
It actively seeks us out,especially when we are most in
(06:25):
need.
Psalm 23, 6 promises surelygoodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life and Iwill dwell in the house of the
Lord forever After the storm asthe sun broke through the clouds
.
It was like a visual reminderthat God's goodness penetrates
our darkest moments, chasingafter us.
(06:46):
There's a great song by AaronJeffries that was a father-son
duo back in the 90s and theytalked about after the rain, we
will look to the sun again, andI think that's how we find the
goodness of God is once we'rethrough that storm.
But honestly, in the middle ofthe storm we should be looking
as well.
So what I want to encourage youto do is, this week, try to
(07:07):
recognize and document thesemoments of divine pursuit, be it
through an unexpected kindness,a resolved conflict or a moment
of unexpected joy.
Share these experiences withothers to encourage them with
how God's goodness is activelyat work.
Finally, surrendering to God'swill can bring peace and hope,
even when everything around usis anything but peaceful.
(07:30):
Romans 12, one urges us,therefore.
I urge you, brothers andsisters, in view of God's mercy,
to offer your bodies as aliving sacrifice, holy and
pleasing to God.
This is your true and properworship.
When I finally let go of mydesperate attempts to control
the recovery processpost-hurricane and instead focus
(07:52):
on being present and faithfulin the moment, I find peace that
surpassed all understanding.
So what is one area of yourlife where you struggle to let
go?
Set a daily intention tosurrender this area to God,
seeking his will above your own.
Observe how this act ofsurrender can transform your
(08:13):
approach and your spirit.
As we close today's discussionon the goodness of God, remember
that his mercies are new everymorning.
His guidance is like alighthouse in the storms, his
nature as father and friendbrings comfort.
His goodness actively seeks usand his peace comes through our
surrender.
Carry these truths with you asyou navigate the days ahead and
(08:36):
let them anchor you in theassurance of his unchanging
goodness.
Now, because I'm a littlebehind on this podcast, I'm
actually gonna drop another onethis week talking about what we
talked about this last Sunday,which is an incredible story in
Scripture John, chapter 16,towards the end of that chapter,
and talking about how do youand I actually have joy in the
moments of these trials.
(08:57):
So, if that speaks to you, jumpback on in about two days.
Otherwise, thank you forjoining me on Beyond Sunday.
May you find strength andcomfort in the goodness of God
this week, no matter what stormsmay come your way.
Until next time, keep living infaith, hope and love.
Welcome back to Beyond Sunday, where faith meets
life every day of the week.
I'm your host, nick Williams,and today we're diving deep into
a topic that touches every oneof us who have ever faced
adversity the enduring goodnessof God, especially in the
aftermath of the storms of life,or, for those here in Sarasota,
florida, the actual storm,hurricane Milton.
(00:22):
I don't know if you've kept upwith the news or maybe you live
here locally and experienced it,but it has been a crazy week
and a half, honestly a crazy twomonths, as we've had multiple
storms come through hurricanes,but this last one definitely
took a toll on the city, and soI preached a sermon two weeks
ago and have not had time to doa podcast with all the disaster
(00:44):
relief that's been going on, andso I wanted to take a moment
and just revisit that message alittle bit, but give you a
little bit of a differentperspective on it as well.
Have you ever stood amidst theaftermath of a storm, literal or
metaphorical, and wonderedwhere God was in all the chaos?
If so, you're not alone in this.
Today, we're going to explorehow God's goodness is not just a
(01:07):
fair-weather friend, but asteadfast promise in the
stormiest times.
Just last week, as winds howledand rains lashed against our
homes, the reality of ourvulnerability was starkly
illuminated.
In today's session, we'llexplore how, amidst such trials,
the goodness of God acts asboth a refuge and a guide.
(01:28):
As we reflect on the recenthurricane, it's crucial to
remind ourselves of God'sunfailing mercy and presence,
which remain constant even inthe most turbulent times.
Consider Lamentations, chapter3, where we read because of the
Lord's great love, we are notconsumed First.
Compassions never fail.
(01:48):
They are new every morning.
Great is your faithfulness.
It's still happening Neighborshelping neighbors, strangers
becoming friends.
The amount of people that showedup to church this weekend that
(02:09):
said, we came because we wantedto see and meet the people that
jumped in and helped us whenthey didn't even know us it was
startling.
I was excited to see the factthat our church got so involved
in the community.
And it wasn't just the staff,it wasn't just the main
volunteers that run the churchday to day.
It was a little bit ofeverybody.
Just the main volunteers thatrun the church day-to-day, it
was a little bit of everybody.
And it's in these acts ofkindness and mercy that we see
(02:29):
the tangible expressions ofGod's compassion and
faithfulness mirrored inhumanity.
I talked to the staff thismorning as we met for our weekly
staff meeting.
We always start the staffmeeting the same way, talking
about what have we seen God doin the last week that we wanna
celebrate, and I think that'simportant to keep those
celebration moments in front ofus, because sometimes life can
(02:49):
get hard and sometimes we canforget those moments.
So, as a staff, we try tocelebrate them every week, and
this morning was no different,except there was a lot to
celebrate.
I heard stories of differenthomes that were touched,
different people that we wereable to help, and the amount of
supplies that went out of thischurch from donations that we
(03:09):
got from around the country wasabsolutely incredible.
On that thought, I want toencourage you to start each day
by recognizing and acknowledgingGod's mercies.
Whether it's the safety of yourhome, the support of a friend
or even a moment of peace amidstchaos, recognizing these
(03:30):
moments can significantly shiftour perspective and strengthen
our faith.
Now, moving beyond mereacknowledgement of God's mercies
, let's consider how hispresence guides us, much like a
lighthouse guiding ships throughstormy seas.
Isaiah 43.2 reassures us whenyou pass through the waters, I
(03:52):
will be with you.
When you pass through therivers.
They will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,you will not be burned, the
flames will not set you ablaze.
Think about a lighthouse for amoment.
I don't know when I saw myfirst lighthouse in life.
The one I probably remember themost is in St Augustine,
florida, only because I saw it afew years ago.
(04:13):
But they always amaze mebecause I always wonder how that
small little building on theedge of the sea with a light
just circling around is enoughto keep a ship out of danger.
So think about a lighthousestanding firm amid the storm.
It's light, a constant guide.
God's word and his presenceserve a similar role in our
(04:35):
lives, guiding us through life'sdarkest moments.
So, for you, consider a currentchallenge or fire in your life,
if you will.
How can you more concisely relyon God's promise to be with you
?
Perhaps start each day with aprayer for his guidance and
presence to be evident in yourlife.
Bring God, hey, today.
(04:56):
Be my guide, be that lampbefore my feet.
God, allow me to know, and bevery evident, that the direction
I'm headed is the directionyou've called me to.
And if it's not, god redirectme In the darkest valleys of
life.
Our understanding of God'snature profoundly affects how we
(05:18):
endure and overcome hardships.
Psalm 23, 4 offers comfort Eventhough I walk through the
darkest valley, I will fear noevil, for you are with me, your
rod and your staff.
They comfort me.
There was a time when I faced apersonal loss so deep that it
felt like walking through a darkvalley.
In that season, feeling God'scomforting presence as a father
(05:42):
and a friend brought solace andstrength that I couldn't have
found anywhere else.
And it wasn't like in thosemoments I didn't still pray God.
Where are you, god?
Why is this happening?
I still had the normal prayersthat people pray, but I wouldn't
have survived that seasonwithout the understanding of God
as my father and as my friend.
(06:03):
So for you, reflect on a recenttrial where you felt alone.
How might your experiencechange if you viewed God not as
just as a sovereign creator, butas close as a friend or a
father?
See, god's goodness isn't just apassive attribute.
It actively seeks us out,especially when we are most in
(06:25):
need.
Psalm 23, 6 promises surelygoodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life and Iwill dwell in the house of the
Lord forever After the storm asthe sun broke through the clouds
.
It was like a visual reminderthat God's goodness penetrates
our darkest moments, chasingafter us.
(06:46):
There's a great song by AaronJeffries that was a father-son
duo back in the 90s and theytalked about after the rain, we
will look to the sun again, andI think that's how we find the
goodness of God is once we'rethrough that storm.
But honestly, in the middle ofthe storm we should be looking
as well.
So what I want to encourage youto do is, this week, try to
(07:07):
recognize and document thesemoments of divine pursuit, be it
through an unexpected kindness,a resolved conflict or a moment
of unexpected joy.
Share these experiences withothers to encourage them with
how God's goodness is activelyat work.
Finally, surrendering to God'swill can bring peace and hope,
even when everything around usis anything but peaceful.
(07:30):
Romans 12, one urges us,therefore.
I urge you, brothers andsisters, in view of God's mercy,
to offer your bodies as aliving sacrifice, holy and
pleasing to God.
This is your true and properworship.
When I finally let go of mydesperate attempts to control
the recovery processpost-hurricane and instead focus
(07:52):
on being present and faithfulin the moment, I find peace that
surpassed all understanding.
So what is one area of yourlife where you struggle to let
go?
Set a daily intention tosurrender this area to God,
seeking his will above your own.
Observe how this act ofsurrender can transform your
(08:13):
approach and your spirit.
As we close today's discussionon the goodness of God, remember
that his mercies are new everymorning.
His guidance is like alighthouse in the storms, his
nature as father and friendbrings comfort.
His goodness actively seeks usand his peace comes through our
surrender.
Carry these truths with you asyou navigate the days ahead and
(08:36):
let them anchor you in theassurance of his unchanging
goodness.
Now, because I'm a littlebehind on this podcast, I'm
actually gonna drop another onethis week talking about what we
talked about this last Sunday,which is an incredible story in
Scripture John, chapter 16,towards the end of that chapter,
and talking about how do youand I actually have joy in the
moments of these trials.
(08:57):
So, if that speaks to you, jumpback on in about two days.
Otherwise, thank you forjoining me on Beyond Sunday.
May you find strength andcomfort in the goodness of God
this week, no matter what stormsmay come your way.
Until next time, keep living infaith, hope and love.
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