Today’s post is just stating the obvious –
there are lessons to be learned in the storm, any storm.
God never wastes a hurt, a problem, a sorrow when yielded to Him. In every storm, there’s something to be learned, an attribute to be developed, an insight to be gleaned. And once again, today’s snowstorm provided more blog fodder.
I keep hearing the refrain, “This winter just won’t end. I’m ready for spring already.” Well, that makes for pleasant small talk. We can all commiserate, but the truth is that winter will end. It always does. Even if you live in Alaska or Antarctica, there are seasons. Winter will become less fierce in those regions. For us, don’t expect winter to end yet. It officially ends in March, not February, but it will end. In the summer, we’ll be saying, “This summer is so hot, it just won’t end.” But it will end. It always does.
Life has its seasons, too. When my son came back from one of his mission trips, he desperately wanted that spirit-filled mountaintop feeling to continue forever, but with each passing day, he slowly settled into the “ordinaries.” We shared that if all our time were spent on the mountaintop, it too would be come ordinary, not a unique, sacred, set apart time. Also, if all our time was spent on the mountaintop, we’d be useless to those who need us in the valley. We’d miss the lessons that He teaches us in the deep, dark seasons of our souls. Jesus can calm any storm. If He lets the storm rage, He will calm the child.
On the Mount of Transfiguration, Peter was eager to set up tents to remain there on the mountain. But the gospel writers all say that Peter didn’t know what he was talking about (Mt. 17, Mk. 9, Lk. 9). Jesus didn’t spend all His time on the mountaintop, but He did make it a point to have some time there. A season, if you will.
Years ago, when my husband and I honeymooned in Hawaii, we met a guy who told us that he had to fly to California once a month to get away from the sameness. Paradise – sameness? Are you kidding? But he wasn’t kidding.
Here in NJ, I do feel blessed to experience the variety of seasons.
And may it help me to remember that spiritually, there are seasons, too. The chill of winter will end – it always does. The scorch of summer will end – it always does.
And until it does, let’s remember and appreciate that there are lessons to be learned in the season that will make the next season easier to endure.
Some seasonal encouragement:
Be prepared in season and out of season… 2 Tim. 4:2
She is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Psalm 1:3
Have you experienced a storm that yielded a lesson learned?
ps – as I post this, I’m listening to the roar of the snowblower as my husband is outside hard at work in the midst of the storm. This is a lesson to me now – to not wait out our storms doing nothing but fearing or complaining or just being lazy. Let’s do what we can when we can even though it can be difficult at the time. Otherwise, when the snow stops or the issue calms down, the mess left behind will be much harder to deal with.
pps – here are 2 other posts from that snowy year. Enjoy!
Ok I promise – that’s it from me for now ;D How about you? What lessons is God teaching you through your storms?
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