In the wee hours of the morning, the sudden storm batters the house. Fierce winds howl. Tree branches screech against the side of the house. The pelting rain beats the windows.
Her heart pounding, Katie hears her children calling “Mommy.” She climbs out of bed, wakes her peacefully sleeping husband to help, and quickly heads to their rooms. In the crashing light of the storm, sweet tear-filled faces peer at her from their beds.
“I’m scared, Mommy!”
“Why is it so loud, Mommy? I don’t like the loud.”
“Where’s Daddy? I want Daddy to hold me.”
“Shh, it’s okay. You’re safe. Mommy and Daddy are here.”
As Katie and her sweet husband, gather their children in their arms, Katie swallows her own fear about the storm. She intentionally slows down her breathing, forcing herself to be calm.
Her sweet husband carries their youngest to the family room and opens the curtains wide. Katie follows with their oldest snuggled against her shoulder.
As they sit on the couch, all snuggled together, her sweet husband begins to talk about how beautiful it is to watch the lightening light up the sky. He quietly talks about his wonder at the lightening, thunder, and fresh rain watering the earth.
“Do you smell the rain?” he asks. “Isn’t it sweet?”
As her sweet husband continues his quiet thoughts and wonder about the storm, Katie finds her own heart calming. She never thought about finding the wonder and beauty in the storm.
Snuggling her sleepy child close to her heart, covered with an afghan, Katie doses. The quiet murmuring of her husband mixes with the pitter-patter of the falling rain.
As she awakens, Katie is greeted with a beautiful site. The storm is over. There, on the morning horizon, breathtakingly bold, is the dark edge of the storm backlit by the early morning sun. The sky beyond the edge of the storm is clear, calm. The storm has passed.
Dark. Then Light. So vivid. Defined. No blending of the edges.
It’s almost as if the Heavenly Father drew a line in the sky and told the storm it could go no farther.
When life is stormy, the Heavenly Father holds me. He says in Psalm 37:23-24
The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
He delights in every detail of their lives.
Though they stumble, they will never fall,
for the Lord holds them by the hand. (New Living Translation – emphasis mine)
What a beautiful promise. My Heavenly Father never lets go of my hand. Ever. Not once.
Life has problems. Life has storms. And my Heavenly Father knows the edge of the storm.
There are several promises I cling to in the storms of life:
- I am never alone. Deuteronomy 31:6, Hebrews 13:5
- God will always provide not only a way through the storm, but also the strength to bear up under the storm. 1 Corinthians 10:13
- Jesus is my strong foundation. Matthew 7:24-25, Proverbs 10:25
- God’s love never fails. Psalm 57:7-11
- God’s plans are always for my best. Jeremiah 29:11
- God gives me His strength to get through the storm. Philippians 4:13
- God will calm the storm. Psalm 107:28-31
If we are willing to breathe deeply of the sweet smelling rain in the midst of the storm, we begin to see beauty. We can start to glimpse something that causes wonder.
Sometimes, honestly, we can’t see the beauty until the storm is past and the sun comes out. It’s too dark. Too painful. Too filled with fear. In those times, we cling to the Heavenly Father’s hand, listen for the soft murmur of His voice, and trust His character.
Sarah Young, in her book Jesus Calling, says “…You can feel secure, even in the midst of cataclysmic changes, through awareness of My continual Presence…Herein lies your security, which no one and no circumstance can take from you.”
- The storm is raging, yet I am secure.
- When I learn to praise Him in the storm, I experience extraordinary peace.
- When I relinquish control of the changes in my life, I am set free to grasp His Hand.
And when I grasp His Hand, I am standing on solid rock. Life is new. A little more precious. I am filled with His peace.
What storm is raging in your life today? Will you choose to grasp the Heavenly Father’s hand?
Thanks for liking the post In Memoriam on The Ruminant Scribe. Because of the like, I found your blog. The focus on the Lord in dark days is often difficult but always worth it.
Hello, I have just discovered your blog via The DaddyBlitz. Thank you for sharing such encouragement to Anchor you in a Storm. You asked for examples of storms, here is a blog post I wrote about our adoption journey. It is called Loving in a storm, love Jane xx
https://anunexpectedjourneytoadoption.wordpress.com/2016/05/22/loving-in-a-storm/
Jane, thank you for sharing your story. It is powerfully and honestly written. Bless you for not giving up and weathering this storm. Your story will help others tremendously.