I stood up three separate times this past Sunday morning and preached a message titled, “The Best is Yet to Come.” It was the final message in a series named “How to Beat the Odds.” We’ve been discussing how life promises trials, struggles and overwhelming situations. Odds are we are either in the middle of a hardship now, have just come out of one, or will be facing one soon. But with God we can beat the odds. That doesn’t mean our trial will necessarily turn out the way we want it to, but if we grow closer to God through the struggle and mold a story of hope to share with others, we have beat the odds.

Each time I stood to preach followed a moment in the service to mention Hurricane Harvey and to pray for those affected. While we had some indication of the devastation the hurricane had brought, we had no idea what was to come. We were relatively unaware as we worshiped that 500 miles away the fierce storm had camped out over the fourth largest city in the nation and would eventually pour up to fifty inches of rain in some places bringing widespread flooding and incomprehensible desolation. And at that moment I was repeating over and over, “The best is yet to come!”

Houston, the best is yet to come.

Here’s how I know:

1. God is with us through every high and every low.

How comforting it is to know that wherever we go, God is there with us. Sometimes we wonder if God is paying attention. We may feel alone and may not be able to feel God’s presence. But wherever we go, God is there with us. As Joshua was about to face a scary, unknown situation, God told him to be strong and to have courage. Then He told him a wonderful truth: “The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). Yes, that’s right… wherever! In the highs and the lows. When the sun shines and when the clouds pour. God is with us!

2. God is in the business of bringing new things out of impossible situations.

Jesus said, “With God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). I think Jesus knew a thing or two about this. Crucifixion Friday was dark and hopeless. Saturday was full of doom and gloom. But Sunday brought triumph and victory! Every dark Friday and hopeless Saturday is followed by a glorious Sunday! Sunday’s always coming!

3. Even through difficult times, Jesus will build His Church and bring hope to more people.

Already, amid the unfathomable, we are hearing amazing reports of neighbor helping neighbor. We are learning stories of dramatic rescues, gracious hospitality and genuine love for others regardless of race, color, or political affiliation. Great tragedy is leading to heroic unity. It’s during times like these the church is at her best. May the church continue to shine and bring hope to all of those looking for the answer.

Houston, the best is yet to come!

I arrived home yesterday evening just as the thunderstorm was beginning to move through. As I pulled into the driveway I witnessed the ominous clouds moving closer. I stepped out of the car to the gusty wind and an overt drop in the temperature. I stood there watching as it started to sprinkle. As it began to rain harder I moved indoors and witnessed the opening of the floodgates from the front window. And as all storms do, it eventually (after almost an inch of rain) began to dissipate. But in its wake, was left a spectacular double rainbow. If you live in or near Lubbock, I hope you were able to witness the stunning promise of God’s goodness.

Yesterday’s event was a good reminder of life. There’s either a storm brewing, we are standing in the middle of a downpour, or having passed through the storm we can look back and see God’s goodness.

In 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Paul reminds us that we will occasionally find ourselves in the middle of the storm. But the promise is that when we are caught in the downpour, God is right there with us! Paul says that “God comforts us”. Literally, He comes along side us. It’s the same imagery used in John 14 when Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit being the comforter. The Holy Spirit comes along side us. If you are in the middle of one of life’s storms, imagine God being right there with you. You may not always feel like He is there, but He is – guiding you through to the rainbow on the other side!

Paul goes on to say, that when we come out on the other side of the storm and can see the rainbow – God’s faithfulness and His goodness – we are to use that experience to help others who are going through a similar storm. It might be the pain of a broken marriage, a prodigal who hasn’t returned home, a friend’s betrayal, the loss of a job, a devastating medical report, an empty bank account, or the loss of someone close. While we didn’t necessarily choose to pass through any of life’s storms, on the flip side we are able to see how God was there to comfort us in the middle of the storm. And we are encouraged to help others make it to their flip side as well.

At the end of the day, if you can use the lessons of one of the storms you have gone through to help someone else going through a similar storm, you have beat the odds!

Do you ever feel like you just can’t get ahead? Like the world is out to get you? Like the odds are stacked against you? My guess is that you are in the middle of some crisis right now. Perhaps you just came out of one. If neither of those is true, buckle your seatbelt, because there’s probably one just around the corner!

James tells us to “consider it a sheer gift when tests and challenges come at you from all sides” (James 1:2, The Message). What? Really? Consider the crises of life sheer gifts? How is that possible?

James answers that question when he says, “You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So, don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way” (James 1:3-4, The Message).

Any time we find ourselves in some life catastrophe, we have two choices. We can either (1) let our faith grow through the calamity, or (2) let our faith wither in the storm.  We can either grow closer to God, or we can move farther away from God.  James challenges us to change our perspective by looking at the crises of life as tests or opportunities to grow closer to God!

The situation may seem overwhelming. The circumstances almost unbearable. The odds may be stacked against you. But at the end of the day, even if the outcome of the crisis isn’t exactly what you had hoped for, if you grow closer to God through it, you beat the odds!