Sometimes You Know the Storm is Coming

Last Saturday, we heard that church would be cancelled Sunday due to a winter blizzard that was expected to bring 6-12 inches of snow with high winds.  So, although it was still sunny and warm that day, I headed out for any groceries we may need if we were to be home a while. And we all thought ahead to the next day.  A 5-way baby shower would be postponed, so no wrapping gifts just yet.  Joey's friend's baptism up in Denver may have to wait. Sam's friend Ethan would not be coming over.  We would do church at home.  Danny could skype his debate coach. What would we like to read, as we snuggled inside?

after the storm

We knew the storm was coming. We didn't know how bad it would be, but we prepared just in case.  And since it didn't come unexpectedly, it really wasn't that bad.

Sometimes there are storms in our own lives that we know are coming.  We may not know how big they'll be, or what damage they'll do, if any, but we can at least prepare ourselves in prayer and wisdom.  

And yet sometimes, the storms of life swoop down and knock us on our feet. They leave us in a humbled state, wondering 'why?'.
Sometimes the damage is minimal, and we learn from it and walk on a little smarter.  Sometimes it takes months, or years, to recover.  

No matter what kind of storm comes my way, I seem to feel the need to get back to normal as soon as possible.  I think that's pretty normal.  I find myself thinking, 'when things settle down, (fill in the blank)'.  What if things don't settle down for a long time? What if they transition into new storms with new challenges?  What if life as I know it never comes back to this place?  Will I have the strength to endure, the wisdom to trust, the patience to wait.  

So many times I ask our Good Lord to give me strength, or to let my children be people of character or give my husband wisdom.  I am thinking we'll wake up next day and be filled with all these goodies from God.  But what happens instead?  We wake up to a storm, or a challenge at the least.  And we fuss and fret and try to get to anywhere but in this situation. I don't want to hear these winds blow, or be surrounded by dark clouds, not knowing when the storm will stop and I can go on with life. My mind gets too full and I try to make sense of it all.  And just when it seems it has gotten too hard to endure, my Sweet Lord comforts me with His words.

Isaiah 40:31: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

⁵ Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart  and lean not on your own understanding;⁶ in all your ways submit to him,    and he will make your paths straight.

Psalm 46:10: Be still and know that I am God.

I am learning to be still.  To look at Him, not the wind and the waves.  To see that He is in the storms of our lives, He may have even brought them to us, and He will calm them.  To anticipate His Fatherly comforts and wisdom and kindness.  And to anticipate what work He is doing in us as we learn to trust through the things that come our way.
And how's that for a little light thinking tonight?

Psalm 107:29:  He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.