Storms

There are few days of the year that I dread and hate more than the 15th of March. Shakespeare and Julius Caesar have historically created a dark atmosphere for the day. I usually spend the day trying to stay busy and to not stop to think; it never works. However, the last 24 hours have reminded me of something.

Last night Atlanta was hit by a tornado that caused a lot of damaged, left hundreds homeless and sent several to the hospital. I was home, and the rain and thunder outside my apartment was louder than any I've ever heard. While these thunderstorms ravaged the city, I sat in my apartment half fascinated and scared out of my mind. This morning, the storms still raged outside. At one point in the day, I was awakened by the tornado siren blaring, and I scurried for shelter. After ten minutes, the storm had moved on. Less than an hour later, the sun was shining. I'm not talking about a non-rain situation...the sun was actually shining brightly!

It reminded me of storms we face in life. Whether we're holed up in the innermost bathroom with a candle or if we're buried in our covers, storms are still scary. When the wind blows and the lightening strikes, we try to find safety. But, what is inevitable is that the storm will end. The sun will come out! When we come out of our shelter, we walk among the rubble and assess the impact of the storm, and then we begin to pick up the pieces and go on with life. The impact of the storm remains with us forever, but slowly it becomes less consuming. We see God's hand more clearly in the storm. We may not be able to see 2 inches in front of us or be able to stand up to the winds and think life is over, but then God makes himself visable. And when the storm has passed, the sun comes out, and through the sunshine we're reminded of God's grace, comfort and protection. No, storms aren't fun, but we can take comfort in the fact that the sun will shine again.