Life Lessons in the Midst of the Storm

I have just returned from another road trip and vacation stay in Louisiana.  Well, maybe not a vacation just a “hospital-cation.”  Not only was my dad admitted for heart failure but that same week my sister-in-law had a hysterectomy and biopsy for further cancer.  A few days after her surgery and while Dad was still in the hospital recovering from a heart procedure my brother  had a bike wreck when a big dog ran out in front of him.  Plus, I had started a healthy eating/exercise 30 day challenge five days prior to all this chaos.  Needless to say I had three patients on pain medication and NO CHOCOLATE over the course of ten days.  Girls, I seriously am not making this up.  It seemed that instead of a small life storm God sent a category 5 hurricane!

During one of those chaotic days, I was doing my quiet time.  On August 8^th, Jesus Calling by Sarah Young spoke directly to me.  “I am training you to cultivate a thankful mindset.  This is like building your house on a firm rock, where life’s storms cannot shake you.  As you learn these lessons you are to teach them to others.  I will open the way before you one step at a time.”  My heart literally said “Wow” when I read those words.

So here is what I am learning in this particular storm:

1.        Make sure you have a firm foundation.  Just as a structure cannot stand on sand, our lives must be soundly cemented in Jesus.

2.       Make preparations ahead of time.  Storms do come.  Before a major storm like a hurricane, we receive warnings and can prepare (food, water, evacuation, etc) to be safe.  Life’s storms will come too.  We need to be prepared.  We need to be rooted in scripture and prayer in order to be ready for whatever may come our way.

3.       Take shelter.  Major storms like tornadoes pop up frequently especially in the south.  When the warning horn sounds, I head for a bathroom or closet for safety.  Life’s storms can be horrendous too.   We have a God who is waiting with outstretched arms to shelter us in the midst of the storm.  If you are in doubt of His protection just read Psalms 91.  (I personally had to claim this chapter this past week). 

4.       Remember to breathe.  Breathing is involuntary.  When I say breathe, I mean try (and I know how hard it is) to relax and let God have complete control.  Just like in a weather related storm, there is absolutely nothing we can do to keep life’s storms away.  So trust the Lord, take a deep breath and breathe in the His faithfulness.

5.       Be thankful.  I think this is the hardest lesson I have learned so far.  When you see the devastation that a natural disaster can bring, it seems utterly hopeless.  Life’s storms can cause emotional and physical exhaustion, chaos, stress and sometimes great loss.  They can leave us feeling hopeless.  However, when the storm is over and we have survived, we need to stop and be thankful.  We need to praise the Lord for bringing us through the storm.  For God did not leave us alone in the storm, He walked with and sometimes carried us through the storm.

 Are storm clouds on the horizon?  Run for the cover of God’s sheltering wings and He will set His angels to guard over you.