It sure has been stormy over a large part of the country this spring. We have had our share of strong storms here in Kansas as well. After several years of drought, the comment I hear over and over after another storm…and have many times said myself…is, “But we need the rain!”
Storms certainly can be beneficial, and beautiful, too.
But they can be hard as well, and scary.
I woke up this morning to another storm passing through. But I also had the thought of life’s storms on my mind. That’s because Aaron had five hard seizures during the night. I finally had to give him a rescue med. These times with Aaron leave me in an emotional frame of mind, vulnerable in my spirit. It’s important that I corral my thoughts and there is no better way to do that than to spend time with the Lord.
I opened my old devotional book, Streams in the Desert, to today’s date. The scripture today was from Mark 4. It’s the story of Jesus getting in the boat with His disciples on the Sea of Galilee. The first sentence on the page was this:
“Even when we go forth at Christ’s command, we need not expect to escape storms…”
The storm outside my window matched the storm in my heart, and so God had a special storm story for me. I love His love for me! I love how He gives to me exactly what I need, exactly when I need it.
Jesus knew that His disciples would encounter a strong storm out on the lake. After all, He created the storm! The disciples, terrified, cried out to Jesus as the storm tossed the boat. Jesus, asleep, was awakened by their frantic voices asking Him if He didn’t even care that they were perishing.
Jesus calmed the storm and then gently rebuked them.
“Why are you afraid?” he asked them. “Do you still have no faith?”
Jesus put His followers in a place of testing. In their storm, He showed His power and in so doing, He used it to increase their faith.
I have learned, especially in our life with Aaron, that God has put me in a boat and said, “Let’s go over to the other side.”
But getting there involves hard times. I don’t like the storms, but how they increase my faith and my love for Him!
Just like realizing how much we need the rain that our storms have brought, so I realize that the sufferings of my life bring me what God knows I need.
And this lesson is huge: God hasn’t commanded me to understand. He HAS commanded me to trust.
If I had all the answers as to the why’s of suffering, I would have no need to trust. In learning to trust, my walk with God is sweeter and deeper than I would ever have known otherwise.
“We never know how much real faith we have until it is put to the test in some fierce storm; and that is the reason why the Savior is on board.” (Streams in the Desert)
God in His kindness ended this day with a gorgeous sky, a perfect picture of the beauty of knowing and trusting Him.
He Said What?! 
Beautiful skies – both the light and the dark 🙂
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Thank you, Christopher. I love the skies!
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You are an incredible writer. I look forward to reading and witnessing your journey with God, and how He speaks to you.
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Thank you so much. It’s a joy to share the journey!
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Jesus sees the storms on our horizons and is always ready to walk through them with us!
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Amen! What a blessing we have in Him!
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I’m sorry Aaron had to suffer through five really bad seizures during the night. Your staunch faith and trust in the Lord must be a great comfort to you. Praise God for helping you and your family weather the storm. Great pictures, by the way!
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Thank you, Nancy. God truly does gently bring my focus back to Him and to faith in His plan. I’m so thankful for that! Blessings!
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I’m so sorry you all had such a rough night! But I liked the lesson you learned from it, because I agree that there is a big difference between wanting to understand what is happening and simply learning to trust God. The first leads only to frustration, but the second leads to peace.
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You’re so right, Ann! Sometimes I’m a slow learner and find myself frustrated. God must sigh a lot as He waits for me to come around. 🙂
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God bless you, Patty, for your stalwart faith in the midst of storm. I looked up June 4 in my copy of Streams in the Desert, an updated version, edited by Jim Reimann. Here’s what I found, already underlined: “We will never know our level of genuine faith until it is tested in a fierce storm,” I’d say your faith has been tested, Patty, and it has come forth as pure gold (1 Peter 1:7), given your testimony here!
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Bless you, Nancy. Sometimes I falter but I’m so thankful that God is always and ever faithful to work with me and lead me back to center, where He is. I loved that sentence you shared as I read it yesterday morning.
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O thank you for sharing your storm story. It is a comfort for us in our own family’s storm. God knows in advance
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Praying for you and your family, Pete.
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We have had a lot storms here too. It would have been amazing to be there to see Jesus calm the storm with a few words.
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His miracles would have been amazing to see, wouldn’t they?
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Patty, I hope Aaron is feeling better. You and Aaron are in my prayers. God bless you and yours!
“And this lesson is huge: God hasn’t commanded me to understand. He HAS commanded me to trust.” Amen and Amen!
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Aaron is doing fine now. Thank you, Cindy.
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🥰
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Hi Patty, I’ve missed reading from you. You didn’t go anywhere, I did.
I love this sentence: If we knew the whys, we’d have no need for trust.
Thank you for sharing 🤗
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Hey Funmi! It’s so good to “see” you! Thank you for reading.
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Love the truth you shared here: “If I had all the answers as to the why’s of suffering, I would have no need to trust. In learning to trust, my walk with God is sweeter and deeper than I would ever have known.”
Storms are not in our control which reminds us that the only way through them is to trust in the One who is perfectly in control.
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You’re right. We want answers but learn over time that trust is the best answer of all.
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Yes it is!!
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Patty, I’m sorry about Aaron’s tough night. Thank you for being the mom that you are filled with love and grace to share the lessons you take from life in the good times and in the hard times.
The statement, “God hasn’t commanded me to understand. He HAS commanded me to trust.” It’s absolute truth succinctly said! Just what I need to be reminded of because I’m wired to want to understand things.
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I appreciate your words, Manette. I believe we’re all wired to want to understand things, especially the hard things. Trust is a lesson I’m continually learning.
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I love your distinction between trusting and understanding… I often feel this way when I have a migraine; I don’t understand what’s happening, or why me, but I remind myself that it will pass – I trust. Thank you for a lovely post. Linda xox
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Thank you, Linda. I’m sorry about your migraines. I used to have bad ones and so I understand some of what you feel. May God bless and strengthen you.
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