Blue Skies Ahead

Having lived in Oklahoma my entire life, I’ve seen many storms. Sometimes, alerts are issued days in advance with cautions of inclement weather, however, as was the case just yesterday afternoon, the appearance of a rogue storm cloud surprises everyone, even the meteorologists and TV forecasters.

After the wind, rain, and hail have wreaked havoc on personal property, evaluation and clean up begin. Often times the damage is catastrophic but most storms are minor events with only a few broken tree limbs, toppled trash cans, and sloppy mud puddles. Generally, it is nothing too serious and within a few minutes of picking up debris, everything returns to normal. For most Oklahoma natives, these storms are typical of our physical world.



But, as most know, there are also "storms" of a personal nature. Recently, I experienced such a storm. In my little world, the skies were sunny and there were no menacing clouds in the distance. All was well. Then, a few "raindrops" plopped on my nose but I blissfully ignored the telltale signs of a storm brewing. Suddenly, thunder rumbled and lightning flashed and I found myself in the middle of torrential rains and angry winds. My emotions and self-confidence were tossed about like cheap patio furniture on the deck. As I have done many times in the past, I prayed to God and held on tight.

Finally, my "storm" passed, the winds calmed, and blue skies returned to my world. As I took a deep breath of relief, I noticed the air was clean and fresh and I thanked God for His presence and protection.



I confess, there have been more than a few times, in a personal crisis, I have been a mess. I have worried and fretted and my anxiety has taken control. I have become physically ill and even depressed. In this situation, when the first signs of trouble presented, I panicked for just a minute, but then, I immediately cried out for help. God heard me. I rode out the storm with self-assurance and remarkably, the outcome was not as devastating. I had a sense of knowing exactly what needed to be done, what needed to be said, and with confidence as I’ve never known before, I got down to business and dealt with the situation. Honestly, I was a little surprised that resolution came so quickly!



As I was working through the problem, a verse came to mind. It was spoken by one of my favorite Bible characters, Joseph, who was mistreated by his brothers and unfairly blamed for many terrible things he didn’t commit. Joseph said, "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive." (Genesis 50:20) In effect, if harm and destruction come for me, my husband, or my family, I know that God can take the bad thing which was meant to be hurtful, and He can make it into something good. No one on earth can do that for me!



Just from living in Oklahoma, I have learned a lot about weather and storms. And, likewise, just from living these 60+ years, I have learned a lot about weathering personal storms. I was reminded through this last experience that I must be vigilant, I must be prepared, and most of all, I must call upon the One who will protect me. And when blue skies return and a rainbow stretches far across the heavens, I will thank God for taking what was meant for evil and making something good of it.