Momma Says #3 — When Flood Waters Rise

The floods have lifted up, O Lord,

The floods have lifted up their voice,

The floods lift up their pounding waves.

Psalm 93:3

In 1961, the Shirelles came out with the hit song, “Momma Said.” The most memorable lyric being, “Momma said there’ll be days like this, there’ll be days like this my momma said.” And this momma can attest some days we’re “Walking on Sunshine,” and others we just wish we could find a “Bridge Over (our) Troubled Waters.” (Yes, I know these are oldies, but you should look them up sometime.)

I am praying that there will be many, many sun-shiny days for you throughout your life. However, we know there will be “those days” where the sun seems to have slept through the alarm clock. My deepest hope is for you to understand how to respond to the really tough days — the ones that hold the destructive power of a flood.

 In Psalm 93:3, the psalmist describes the floods as having “lifted up.” So clearly, something is different from the usual. As the psalmist notes, his routine has been disrupted, not with just a ripple or a wave, but rather with a flood. Perhaps, one of “those days” pooled into weeks or even months for the psalmist. Whatever the timeline, he now faces an overwhelming situation.

Know that there will be days like this. 1 Peter 4:12 explains, “… don’t be surprised at the fiery ordeal that you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.”[1] This is important. On the days that seem to go wrong in every imaginable way and hit you like they’re out of the left field, don’t be unprepared. Know that there will be bad days, and prepare for them in advance.

To be ready for “those days,” we should remember in Matthew 7 (verses 24-27) where “the foolish man built his house on the sand.” In other words, when you prepare for the floods, don’t rely on fickle things like people and your emotions. In fact, sometimes your own wisdom can’t help you navigate the really difficult floods that will come into your life. Instead, build your house on the rock of Christ so that it will stand firm against the rains and floods. Find the truth in Him and develop your beliefs, hopes, and faith in Him for your life.

You can also prepare for “those days” by going to God with your life issues on a daily basis. (I know I’ve said this before. But you just can’t get around this one.) Don’t wait to go to Him only when you need help. Nourish your relationship with Him through daily communication, i.e., prayer and reading His Word. And don’t just read it for the sake of reading it. Hear the words of the Lord, and do your best to obey them.

You must also be ready to put your hope in God when it gets challenging. Learn how to anchor it there. The foolish put hope in themselves or others, but the wise know that their only hope and prayer is found in God alone. (Jeremiah 14:22) Best intentions won’t always take you where you want to go, and people have a tendency to let us down. But hope placed in God is secure as only He can support and strengthen us on our most difficult days.

Now that we are familiar with a few ways to prepare for our most challenging days, we need to recognize the source of our floods. Somedays, the floods come from the external. Maybe it’s a loved one who lets you down or a boss who finds nothing but fault with you. Or perhaps your car breaks down, you forget to pay the electric bill, and you come down with the flu all in one day.

But sometimes, the floods can come from within. There may be times when you are tormented with feeling like a failure, or you find yourself unable to dwell on anything good. Your mind is drawn to frustration, sadness, or confusion. Things begin to seem more and more futile and hopeless.

In Psalm 93:3, the psalmist indicates that his “…floods have lifted up their voice.” Here we see that the “floods” can sometimes speak to you. Again, this can be felt through words spoken to you by others, or it can be thoughts stemming from within your own head and heart. What is most important to consider here is what the “floods” are saying. Chances are there is an element of truth to them, but you will only be able to discern and navigate them if you hold them against the truth of God’s Word.

This is where God being supreme and having all authority is so beautiful as I mentioned in my previous post (Momma Says #2). He and only he has the place to dictate the truth of the matter, your worth and value, and the plan and purpose for your life. Other people’s opinions and even your own are not comparable to the truth of God. And it is pointless to try to find truth from your feelings. They are fickle. Rely on what God says in His Word. His voice is most important. He will always be honest with you when you are at fault, and He is always there to help you when you need to start again.[2]

But what do you do when the floodwaters only seem to rise and rise? In the final line of Psalm 93:3, we see that the floodwaters have become incredibly powerful. Its waves threaten to pummel and overwhelm. Indeed, there are days, weeks, and entire seasons of our lives where things happen that are beyond our ability to control. And whether we can continue to stand (having done our best to prepare for the floods), or we are forced to swim in the deep waters, we must remember the Lord is still our rock and salvation.

Isaiah 43:2 reminds us that the Lord has told us, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.”[3] You see, Jesus is our rock whether we sit, stand, run, or are forced to tread water. He is with us always. He can show us how to get through the most challenging circumstances of our lives. So cling to Him with all that you have. Stay close to Him and be continually strengthened and encouraged by Him.

When you have “days like this,” don’t be the fool who builds his house on the sand of vacillating people, circumstances, or emotions. Instead, find your firm foundation in Christ by knowing His voice. Read His Word, and place your hope in Him even when your floods threaten to overwhelm. Be wise in all your ways and build your house on the imperishable rock of Christ so that when the rains and floods come, you can be found stable and secure in Him come what may. (Matthew 7:24)

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[1] 1 Peter 4:12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised by … https://biblehub.com/1_peter/4-12.htm

[2] Kendrick, Stephen, and Alex. Defined: Who God Says You Are. B & H Publishing, 2019.

[3] Isaiah 43:2 When you pass through the waters, I will be …. https://biblehub.com/isaiah/43-2.htm