Genesis 7:17-8:5 (ESV)

The flood continued forty days on the earth. The waters increased and bore up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. The waters prevailed and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the face of the waters. And the waters prevailed so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered. The waters prevailed above the mountains, covering them fifteen cubits deep. And all flesh died that moved on the earth, birds, livestock, beasts, all swarming creatures that swarm on the earth, and all mankind. Everything on the dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died. He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens. They were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ark. And the waters prevailed on the earth 150 days.

But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided. The fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, the rain from the heavens was restrained, and the waters receded from the earth continually. At the end of 150 days the waters had abated, and in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. And the waters continued to abate until the tenth month; in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen.

The time span involved here highlights the miraculous nature of this event. God didn’t tell Noah to store a year’s worth of food on the ark—and there’s no way that could have worked out anyway. God only said,

“Also take with you every sort of food that is eaten, and store it up. It shall serve as food for you and for them.” — Genesis 6:21 (ESV)

Obviously, God supernaturally helped Noah take care of the people and animals on the ark. Just as God personally brought the animals to the ark, and shut the door to the ark, and brought the flood, so He personally got them through this trial.

And just think about what a trial this was. Noah faced impossible task after impossible task. What he was trying to do never looked possible.

But this trial did what great trials do, gave Noah rock solid faith. By the end of all this, he knew that he could trust God.

You don’t really know that parachutes work until you’ve jumped out of an airplane.

Yesterday we discussed being yourself while seeking His will. We noted that you can say, “But I don’t want to go to Siberia.” So, what do you do if you find yourself in Siberia anyway? What about trials?

Then, seek the explanation. Frustration, even anger, is not wrong. It’s perfectly fine to say prayers like, “You wanna tell me what You’re up to this time?” This can even be the secret to handling trials.

Trials teach patience. They are rarely resolved quickly, nor figured out quickly. Pray for understanding.