"In the dark of the midnight Have I oft hid my face,
While the storms howl above me, And there’s no hiding place.
‘Mid the crash of the thunder, Precious Lord, hear my cry,
“Keep me safe ‘til the storm passes by.”
It’s an old song, but it has been passing (pun intended!) through my mind this week, especially as SoCal awaited the great hurricane! The much publicized, over-reported storm became almost a non-event. There were real tragedies that happened in recent weeks though. The fire in Maui, six young men who died in a small plane crash, fires that are still burning in Canada, a close relative diagnosed with cancer…
What do we do when storms happen, either anticipated or when we are blind-sided? Where do we turn?
Many times Satan whispered, “There is no use to try.
For there’s no end of sorrow, There’s no hope by and by.”
But I know You are with me, And tomorrow I’ll rise
Where the storms never darken the skies.
Even if a storm is small by comparison to others, it causes discomfort. A thunderstorm when we were planning a picnic…invites sent out and people don’t show up…a text message with discouraging news…We can’t always change our circumstances but how we respond is what can make the difference. The signs of impending storms can alert us to action. First and foremost, we can pray. Pray for discernment as to how to navigate the storm. Then take action to prepare by digging into God’s word and seeking truth and wisdom from trusted, godly sources.
When we get bogged down or overwhelmed by circumstances the Adversary wins. The Psalmist had much to say about adversity. “How long, O Eternal One? How long will you forget me? Forever? How long must I agonize… (Psalm 13:1, 2). The Psalmist pours his heart out to the LORD, and most of the time concludes with praising God and asking for His blessing.
“How long will we wait here alone?
Return, O Eternal One, with mercy.
Rescue Your servants with compassion.
With every sun’s rising, surprise us with Your love,
Satisfy us with Your kindness.
Then we will sing with joy
and celebrate every day we are alive” (Psalm 90:13-14).
There is no time for pity parties! Think of Job. Of all the characters in the Bible, he surely had the most to complain about. He was completely wiped out, all his family and possessions destroyed. He had terrible friends who constantly told him to ‘curse God and die’ as it would be easier. But he did not. He did not know about the battle between God and the Adversary that was being waged. But he refused to give up. He knew the significance of staying the course and standing firm in his belief in God. And he was vindicated. And God restored to him even more than he had before because of his faithfulness.
When the long night has ended, And the storms come no more,
Let me stand in Your presence on that bright, peaceful shore.
In that land where the tempest never comes, Lord may I
Dwell with You when the storm passes by.
‘Til the storm passes over,
‘Til the thunder sounds no more,
‘Til the clouds roll forever from the sky.
Hold me fast, Let me stand
In the hollow of Your hand;
Keep me safe ‘til the storm passes by. (Mosie Lister)
While I still have a heavy heart for the storms around me and those that I see others experiencing, I know the One who controls all things and hides us in the shelter of the storm (Isaiah 25:4; 32:2; Psalm 27:5; 55:8; 91:1).
Shalom! Shalom!
P.S. On a happy note, my corn survived the rain and wind, and I even see signs of baby ears! It’s the small things…
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