Storms

Have you ever observed a storm? As I was sitting at work today, I began to realize the different parts of a storm. I believe that these things even apply to the storms we face in our lives. Some of these storms are more severe than others, however, the storms are still present.

Here is what I noticed about today's storm. The wind changes, it starts to smell different in the air. It seems peaceful. But then you start to hear the thunder.. and you see the lightning. And you start to fear, but sadly, this usually is only the BEGINNING of the storm.

At first we start to see the clouds. The little things that hold the rain.. the things that start to get bigger and darker. We start to soak up all those things the enemy is throwing at us. And they get heavier and heavier.

Then the lightning and thunder get louder.. and the rain downpours! And everything feels as though it may be falling apart! But, the truth in this situation is that God is closer during these times than he has ever been before. He stands in the storm and as Julie Meyer said this past weekend was that in these storms, God is testing our hearts. What is our heart's response in the midst of this storm? When everything feels as though it is falling apart and that the world is shaking, our awesome Papa is holding us in his palm.. secure, complete. Holding our whole world. As the rain pours, God gently puts up his umbrella to protect us and to allow us to be sheltered from the rain. But sometimes he asks us to take the umbrella down and allow him to wash over us in the midst of the storm. It is here in the rain that all things wash away: the anger, the hurt, the lack of joy, the heaviness, and all the variety of emotions that are going on in the midst of the storm.

So, I ask. I have had my storms. My heart has wanted to just complain and not watch my words or my thoughts. But God is showing me that during each storm: whether just a gentle storm or severe weather, he is with me, he is with YOU, and he is teaching me through it. He asks me to still trust him no matter how high the winds get or how high the water gets. I still stand secure in whatever storm comes towards me. He never allows my foot to slip or my hand to fall out of his. These storms are the great times where I am welcome freely to sit in Papa's lap in such peace and security, but do we trust enough to take the steps to SIT and be still in His lap? He welcomes us, He wants us there. We are on his heart at all times, He is always MINDFUL of us. He asks us to praise him in the midst of whatever we are facing, and believe me sometimes the three little words: thank you Jesus, are the hardest words to form on my lips and be spoken into the atmosphere, but he desires for us to say them.

So, again I ask: What is your heart doing in the midst of this storm? Are we trusting and praising? Or are we freezing, not moving, and not being taught anything in the storm?

Here is some encouragement:

We conquer overwhelmingly through Jesus Christ in every storm, in every situation! Amen.

I will be honest: It's hard to believe this in the middle of the eye of the storm. But as I type at the end of my current storm, I know that next time, the storm will NOT shake me. I will be like a tree FIRMLY planted by the stream of living water.


amen.