As I was on my daily walk this morning I noticed the clouds rolling in.  When I was at the furthest point away from my house I heard the thunder and the wind kicking up.  I was pretty sure that I was going to get soaked.  I don’t like to be wet.  Don’t get me wrong—it’s OK if it is “on purpose” like swimming and you are dressed for it.  But I don’t like water rides, water balloons or squirt guns because I don’t want to walk around wet when I’m supposed to be dry.

I listen to podcasts as I walk and at the same time that I heard the first clap of thunder I heard about keeping your faith during the “storms of life.”  The timing was great!  This particular speaker had a child that was in intensive care not expected to live when her husband went missing.  She found out in a few days that he’d committed suicide.  Now that is a storm!  The only thing that kept her from being swept away in her grief was her strong faith.

It’s funny that I mentioned not liking to get wet.  One time that did happen to me was long ago when my husband had a motorcycle with a little pop-up camper.  We had spent a weekend camping in Western Maryland but on the last day it rained.  What a mess!  We had to put everything away wet and didn’t even have a vehicle for shelter.  We drove back on the motorcycle in the rain.  Yuck!  But I don’t think a warm, dry home and a warm, soothing shower ever felt so good!  Those are things that we take for granted unless they are taken away (or delayed). 

When the storms of life come we need to run to the One who is our shelter and our strength.  It’s often these storms that push us into His loving arms.  It is here that we lean on Him, depend on Him and grow in Him.  When times are good we ignore or forget Him.

Storms can be scary and devastating, as well as destructive.  But God is in control of those storms.

“He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed.”  Psalm 107:29 ESV

He stills them in His time.  Meanwhile He provides us with a shelter:

“For you have been a stronghold to the poor, a stronghold to the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat…”  Isaiah 25:4a ESV

It is God!  He is our shelter:

“Let me dwell in your tent forever!  Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings!”  Psalm 61:4 ESV

What storm are you in, maybe even now?  Will you look to God to be your refuge, shelter and strength?

By the way, I got back just as the first drops of rain fell and then the sky let go.  Even if I had gotten soaked I knew I was headed back home to comfort and warmth.  What a great feeling!

Have a great day!