Hurricane Zeta swept through North Georgia between midnight and 4am recently. My wife of 20 plus years whom I dearly love, got on my nerves! Every time the wind gushed against the house she jumped up. Shaking the bed and distributing my sleep. Despite how she was tripping, I was trying to be like Jesus in Mark 4:36-38:
Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”
The next day she called me from work to talk while she was on break. The first question I asked her was, “Why didn’t you praise Him through the storm?!” Back and forth we joked, fussed, and laughed. Afterwards, she gave me a report of some of the destruction she witnessed from Zeta (more on that later). Amazingly, I survived Hurricane Andrew and Hurricane Hugo. Hurricane Zeta learned me two things about storms.
1. Storms have a commanded course.
Before the storm hit our area the weather man was predicting what would happen and where it would happen. I told my wife you can’t fully trust the weatherman. I have seen them make predictions and they were completely wrong (and never say sorry at that). I have heard them say one thing and the Lord cause the storm to do something totally different. I have learned that God is in charge of the storm. Whatever He commands the weather must obey. Psalm 107:25 For He commands and raises the stormy wind, Which lifts up the waves of the sea. God is in control not a so-called, Mother Nature. Storms can only do what God allows. So, when you deal with the storms of life remember God is in control of the storm. Job 36:32 He covers His hands with lightning, And commands it to strike.
2. Storms require clean up.
When my wife called me on break she told me about the number of businesses without power, fallen trees and debris, even dead deer in the road. But after several hours after the storm passed the sun was shining bright, the temperature was close to 80 degrees, and people where out cleaning their property. Whenever God brings us through a storm that is the time to reevaluate your life and clean up the damage. Did your storm leave you bitter, broken, angry, or unable to trust others? It is up to you to clean it up. And even though thousands of families were without power for a brief time people could still function. The storms of life take strength and power out of us, but we must regroup and keep pressing forward. Don’t let storms leave you a wreck!
No matter what type storm you are facing remember that the storm will eventually be over. When your storm finally passes, learn from what you went through, clean up the damage, and be sure to keep moving forward. Because, life is filled with many storms.
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Over 25 years of pastoring youth and young adults under the leadership of Bishop Barry Walker in Carrollton, GA. By the grace of God, Pastor Baker shepherds young people weekly, host podcasts, writes blogs, has authored 4 books, and makes music. Pastor Baker has been happily married for over 27 years and fathers two sons.