Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He brought them out of their distresses.

 hushed the storm to a gentle whisper,
So that the waves of the sea were still.

Then they were glad because of the calm,
And He guided them to their desired haven (harbor).

Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness,
And for His wonderful acts to the children of men!
^{Psalm 107: 28 – 31 AMP}

Yesterday a storm blew through, and it lasted through most of the night.  The wind was howling, and I could hear banging and creaking while heavy rain was pelting the roof and windows.  I fell asleep, feeling blessed to be inside, safe from the tempest that was raging outside.

This morning, however, as I stepped outside, the air felt fresher, crisper and although there’s debris that will need tidying up, even the garden looked greener and healthier.  The strong wind had dislodged dry and dead leaves and branches, leaving healthier-looking plants in its wake.

As usual, before a big storm blows through, a warning to tie down or put away items that can be blown around is issued, and those who ignored the warning will most probably be spending their morning trying to dislodge trampolines from trees…it always happens and it’s only funny to those who don’t own trampolines.

It got me thinking of the storms of our lives.  Our Father is good, loving and kind, so when He allows a storm to blow through our inner landscape it’s always with a purpose and if we allow the storm to do its work, leaves us fresher, greener, and healthier.  As with natural storms, there will be some tidying up required. 

If we’re honest with ourselves we must admit that very few people go through a storm without lashing out here and there (or sometimes everywhere), saying harsh things, isolate from friends and loved ones, maybe self-medicating a bit or resorting to full-on “trampoline in the tree” stupidity.  I get that, me too.

Jesus knew we were going to face storms and He made sure that we would know that we could survived each one.  In the book of Matthew, we read about Jesus’ reaction to a storm…

“They all got into a boat and began to cross over to the other side of the lake. And Jesus, exhausted, fell asleep. Suddenly a violent storm developed, with waves so high the boat was about to be swamped. Yet Jesus continued to sleep soundly. The disciples woke him up, saying, “Save us, Lord! We’re going to die!” But Jesus reprimanded them. “Why are you gripped with fear?  Where is your faith?” Then he stood and rebuked the storm, saying, “Be still!” And instantly it became perfectly calm. The disciples were astonished by this miracle and said to one another, “Who is this Man? Even the wind and waves obey his Word.”

Matt. 8:24 – 27 TPT

Isn’t it interesting that even the most violent of storms could not wake Jesus from His sleep?  Could it be because there was no internal storm in Him?  He was at peace on the inside, so what was happening on the outside could not disturb His inner landscape and disrupt His rest. 

Maybe if we view the storms of our lives as something purposeful, something allowed by the Lord’s infinite wisdom to dislodge dry and dead branches from our tree, so that we would be cleaner and fresher, ready to sprout new leaves when the season comes?  Whatever the storm looks like, He will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in Him. (Is. 26:3)

The Lord still speaks through the  prophet Isaiah and says to us today “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” (Is. 41:10)

If you are going through a storm right now, may I encourage you to hang in there?  Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.(1 Pet 5:7)  If you’re on the other side, maybe this is the time to mend some fences, offer some apologies, maybe make amends?  The clean-up is never much fun, but it’s always worth the trouble.

I bless you with peace, love, hope and courage, and one last promise, in Jesus’ name.

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you.   Is. 43:2 AMP