3 surprising things Noah is teaching me about new beginnings

11 Minute Read, Word Count 1490

But to quickly recap, we discussed the deliverance of Noah and highlighted these key points:

1. As you enter into your new beginning, don’t forget to praise God for the valleys He’s already brought you through.

2. Never stop looking for signs of deliverance. As you go through challenges, go through with hope and expectation. Today could be the day of deliverance!

3. Some of your coping mechanisms and safety nets have become barriers to your breakthrough because they are blocking your view of God in action. Your lack of vision is keeping you in bondage, even though deliverance is upon you.

4. God will deliver you at His appointed time. Make sure that you’ve positioned your heart and mind to be rescued.

Part 2: Your new beginning is not the end to all your troubles

God’s Promise to Noah: Genesis 9:12-17 NKJV

Welcome to the other side. You made it! God brought you through and now it’s time to move forward into your new season. Everything seems to be working in your favor, you have not a care in the world, and you’re happier than you’ve ever been.

Can I tell you a story? Bare with me, it’ll make sense in just a moment.

I am so blessed to be a mommy of two little girls…but I’ve actually been pregnant three times. My first pregnancy ended in miscarriage.

When I found out I was pregnant the second time, I was so excited! I was prayerful and hopeful that this time everything would go smoothly.

But every time I felt a pain, the slightest cramp, or if I was not careful to reign in my thoughts, I would become anxious and afraid. Everyday I had to fight to enjoy the pregnancy rather than worry about what could go wrong…like the last time.

What I realize now, is that I was having a trauma response.

The cramping I experienced in the second pregnancy triggered a memory of pain and loss from the first pregnancy. In that moment, I was reacting to the past, even though God had already delivered me into a new place.

Can you relate? Maybe my story is not your story, but we’ve all had occasions in our lives that caused us to say or think:

• Here we go again.

• I knew this was going to happen.

• This is how it started last time.

• I don’t think it’s going to work.

• I can’t do this again.

People, places, things, smells, events, etc. can trigger the memory of our past traumas. Those memories can become clouds, even in the midst of our new, bright and sunny beginning.

Imagine you were Noah

How would you respond every time the sky became dark and cloudy? In my human nature, I would imagine that clouds could be anxiety-provoking; a reminder of the unforgiving rain, the flood, and the destruction of the earth.

But God, in His loving and gracious nature, gave us a heads up.

In Genesis 9, God says that the rainbow will remind Him of His covenant, but I believe that God was also preparing us for the clouds and the storms that are yet to come.

God anticipated our need and made provision for it. He set the rainbow in the cloud to calm and comfort us in the midst of the turmoil that is coming. He was teaching us how to respond in the presence of triggers of trauma.

Don’t Miss This…

The rainbow, the reminder of the promise, is in the cloud. You will see the rainbow and be comforted by the remembrance of His promise at the very same time that a dark cloud is hovering over you, when everything that could go wrong is going wrong, when you can’t “win for losing”, when you’ve taken all you can take.

Here’s the lesson…

When clouds seem to follow you or reappear in your new beginning, focus on the rainbow and remember the promise. You will need to do so with intention and you’ll need to do it over and over to overcome the many distractions of life.

Why does this matter? Because distractions create unnecessary detours and delays on our journey that come at a cost I’m no longer willing to pay.

Who has time for that? Not me.

Remember that the cloud is not a sign of doom and destruction. Whatever happens, how ever it turns out, God is right there with you and He remembers what He spoke over you. He remembers His covenant with you.

I don’t know what the cloud is for you right now.

Maybe it’s your health, or your marriage, or your children, your finances, grief. Whatever it is…it has not come to utterly destroy you.

In the face of the cloud, in the midst of the storm, choose to see the rainbow and remember that God is with you and allow that memory to overtake the memory that used to trigger a trauma response.

There’s no need to panic. God holds your entire world in His hands. When my children are afraid, I ask them, “Does mommy look afraid? If I’m not afraid, you don’t need to be afraid because I’m here to protect you.”

In the same way, I can assure you that God is not afraid or surprised by anything you’re going through. Therefore, rest in His power and sovereignty. Take a deep breath. It’s going to be okay.