BY

LILLIAN B. WOLFF

          Natural storms seem to be universal.  In the north there are snow storms, in the desert there are dust storms, and of course, in the midwest and south there are hurricanes and tornados.  But what I want to write about are spiritual storms.  It seems to me that spiritual storms are tailor-made or customized for each person.  Your storm is not like mine and mine is not like yours.  We try to understand each other’s storm, but often we can’t.  God knows best what He allows into each of our lives.

            There are political storms, financial storms, emotional storms, and spiritual storms.  But each of these, whenever they come, give us an opportunity to lean upon the help and the support of the Lord.  They are equal opportunities.  They give us an opportunity to fail or to thrive in the Lord.  Sometimes we have no idea when a storm is coming.  However, it has been said that we are either going into a storm, coming out of one, or are in the middle of one.  When in the middle of one, we think that it is never going to cease.  But believe me “they came to pass”.  They are not here for always.  I went through major storms several times in my life and sometimes I thought I surely would not make it; but I did because of the grace of God.  And now almost 20 years later I can look back and say, “What a mighty God we serve.

            Jesus and his disciples were once caught in a storm on the Sea of Galilee.  When they started across the sea it was calm, but suddenly a storm came up.  You would think, with Jesus on board, that there would be no problem.  But, the poor, fearful disciples thought they were going to perish for certain because Jesus was sleeping so soundly.  They said, “Master don’t you care that we are perishing?”  Jesus arose and rebuked the winds and the waves and the calm settled in.  Actually several translations say this a bit differently.  One says He said, “Peace, be still”.  Another says, “Be quiet” and yet another one says, “Shut up”!  Whatever He said, the voice of the master calmed the storm.

            The storm can find you wherever you are.  But no matter where you are, God is a Storm-tracker or a Storm-chaser.  He can find you in the midst of the storm.  You may be stuck in the desert part of your life, without much spiritual feeling, when the storm overtakes you.  You may be physically ill or may have lost your job or even your marriage.  But Jesus can rise and say, “Storm, be quiet”.  We can hear the voice of the Lord in the midst of the storm.  He is saying, “Calm down, my child, I am right here with you; it’s going to be all right.”

WE NEED TO LEARN TO:

SING IN THE STORM (WHILE THE LIGHTNING FLASHES);

PRAISE HIM IN THE STORM (LOUDER THAN THE THUNDER); and

DANCE IN THE RAIN!  (CELEBRATE HIS FAITHFULNESS)