When Storms are Raging

We all face days of adversity,
Moments of hostility,
Nights of weeping, uncertainty, regret.
But sometimes those days extend into weeks,
The moments into seasons,
The nights into a relentless deluge with no break in sight.
We all carry a plan for that rainy day,
But what do you do when the storms are raging?

When storms are raging, the things that normally give life –
Like those gentle April showers –
Become taunting sheets of soaking grief or pain
That never seem to understand when enough is enough.

When storms are raging, those politely differing points of view –
Like distant rumbles of moody thunder –
Become bewildering claps of frightening rage or rejection
That leave you wondering if you can ever please anybody.

When storms are raging, simple sadness or quiet regrets –
Like fleeting streaks of faraway lightning –
Become life-altering strikes of searing loss or failure
That leave you feeling permanently alone and ashamed.

When storms are raging, little uncertainties or modest changes –
Like whispering breezes in Southern pines –
Become paralyzing gales of violent terror or disruption
That leave you grasping for anything that’s rooted in certainty.

But…
When storms are raging your feelings can be lairs
And your “facts” can hide the TRUTH.
See, I’ve met the Wave Dancer, the ultimate Storm Chaser
And I’ve read the red letters – you should, too.

The world has yet to see the storm
That can chill the warmth of His kindness
Or weaken the strength of His embrace.
The world has yet to see the flood
That can undry the tears He’s dried
Or unhold the hearts He’s held.
And whether you can feel it or not,
He wants you to know He loves you.

The world has yet to see the storm
That can uproot Him from His faithfulness
Or punish you for choosing to trust Him.
The world has yet to see the storm
That can scar you more deeply than the wounds He took
Or break you any more than the griefs He carried.
And whether you can feel it or not,
He wants you to know He loves you.

The world has yet to see the storm
That can hurl more regrets than He can cover with grace
Or unleash more change than He can meet with peace.
The world has yet to see the storm
That can blast you more than His ability to bless you
Or outlast the lengths He would go to show you…
That whether you can feel it or not,
He wants you to know He loves you.

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• the storm rages on, but the wasteland blooms.
• Bend Like The Willow
• “Stormy . . . Bring Back That Sunny Day . . .”
• Remember, he remembers.
• Into the Storm: Lessons in Teamwork from the Treacherous Sydney to Hobart Ocean Race

Tagged as: Adversity, Faith, Grief, Love, Suffering