The storms of life have a purpose. They are used for revelation. They reveal our character, the plans of the enemy, and our true friends. We can’t run away from these storms. We must hunker down in faith to endure their passage by clinging to the Lord. When the storm passes, and we finally emerge, we will see that the landscape of our life has changed.
In 1850 an intense storm moved through Skara Braeinthe Orkney Islands of Scotland. The storm was so powerful it stripped away the surface of a grassy knoll reconfiguring the landscape to reveal a compact stone village from the Neolithic period. The village contained ten stone houses that had been hidden for 5,000 years. The village at Skara Brae is older than Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids. These are some of the oldest structures on Earth. Their discovery revealed remarkable sophistication – locking doors, tools and utensils, drainage systems for plumbing, flooring, beds, cupboards, food lockers, and water storage tanks, all made from stone.
Emotional and spiritual storms will challenge our interpretation of reality just as the discovery of Skara Brae challenged existing assumptions of archaeology. They reshape the landscape of our lives and readjust our timelines. Storms define our lives as “before and after” events. Storms reveal what had remained hidden until a storm of death, disease, betrayal, or loss blew through our existence.
What is revealed after a storm is the evidence of God’s abiding presence that was hard to discern when the storm was doing its damage. While the Lord is not the author of our pain and suffering, He is able to use those experiences to deepen our faith if we are willing.
If there is a storm currently raging in your life, choose to trust the Lord even if what is happening makes no sense. When the storm finally ceases its painful work and moves on, there will be something left behind the Lord wants you to discover. That discovery will enhance your understanding of the history of your life and redirect your steps as you move forward into the future.
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze” (Isaiah 43:2).
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Garris Elkins
Featured Image by Shashank Sahay on Unsplash
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