For you know that the testing of your faith produces
steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be
perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:3-4
The weather this spring has been unlike any other
spring season I have seen in all of my life.
It has been so truly crazy. It
has rained almost every day this month it seems and added to that severe weather
way too often. I literally have had to
take cover from a tornado at least twice and one of those times I did not think
I was going to survive. While on a road
trip, out in the middle of nowhere, I was trying to outrun the storm and find a
safe place to wait it out. Several
people who knew I was driving near the storm were looking at radars and giving
me directions and advice.
At one point, I actually turned around and went back to
where I had just been trying to avoid the storm (which had grown huge and
severe with multiple tornadoes) only to learn that the storm shifted and
changed directions. It was chasing me! We had to stop and wait it out for over an
hour and then finally had to leave and brave it because it was getting
late. The storm was moving slowly, and
my son had to get up and go to school the next morning so we left and once
again headed directly where the storm was headed, hoping we could beat it. Well, we didn’t beat it. After almost being pushed off the road by the
swirling winds and dodging all kinds of debris flying across the highway, we
finally stopped under an underpass along with many other people. I know that an underpass is not the best
place to be in a tornado or bad storm but when there is absolutely nothing on
either side of you but miles and miles of flat land, I was extremely relieved
to come over the hill and see that shelter!
After my son and I sat through that storm that night we
both felt like we would never be afraid of another storm again. Since that night, although we have never been
as frightened as we were that night, we have endured severe storm after severe
storm. The words “tornadoes, large hail,
and damaging winds” are becoming a daily part of the weather forecast. It seems the environment has gone haywire. The night we were in the bad storm on the
highway there were 9 confirmed tornadoes close to where we were. People have lost homes, property and some
have lost loved ones as well due to the continued storms we are experiencing
almost daily. It is storm season as
never before!
100%
Chance of Storms Ahead
I have often thought in the midst of this unusually stormy season, “What is the reason or purpose for all this? What is God doing or trying to tell us?” I truly thought I was going to die in that storm that night, so why did God have me experience that and spare me? I know there is a purpose and a plan for every single experience in our lives, so what does He want me to take away from all this turmoil in nature?
I have often thought in the midst of this unusually stormy season, “What is the reason or purpose for all this? What is God doing or trying to tell us?” I truly thought I was going to die in that storm that night, so why did God have me experience that and spare me? I know there is a purpose and a plan for every single experience in our lives, so what does He want me to take away from all this turmoil in nature?
It can’t help but remind me of life and the “storms” we
go through. There are those seasons in
life when it feels like we are literally dodging lightning and running from
tornadoes every time we turn around. It seems
like the sky is falling. All we want to
do is get out the downpour and hide somewhere safe and secure. “Safe” places are hard to come by in life
storms. In the dark, with winds twisting
and objects flying, I came over the hill to safety, security…just in time. God provides those places for us in the
storms; just like an underpass in the middle of nowhere.
God is the “safe place” we need to run to in the middle
of the storms in life. Exhausted and
road-weary from fighting the storm, we come over a hill and find He has
supplied a place to rest and gather ourselves for the road ahead. We can’t do it on our own with our limited
resources and abilities, so God gives us what we need. He knows the forecast as well. He wrote the forecast! He is prepared for the storms and is always
right beside us. He is our shelter and
will not abandon us or let us down. He
will see us through, and He will provide the lifeboat if needed. God has a specific purpose and plan for your
life. Storms are simply temporary setbacks along the way toward fulfilling that
purpose.
Scripture to Claim:
There will be a
shelter to give shade from the heat by day, and refuge and protection from the
storm and the rain. Isaiah 4:6 NASB
