I was wondering about this intense devotion today when thunder boomed outside. Terrified, Roxie trembled. Aha! Her fear of the storm kept her close to her master.
You know what’s coming next, don’t you!
When confident in her own strength, she’ll rest in any old spot, but when the storm comes, she needs to be in the presence of her master, and so do I. Yes indeed. God uses the storms of life to draw us to Himself, our Master. When circumstances crowd in or fears rise up, we cry to the Lord in struggle. The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Ps. 9:9
And here’s a little secret. Truth be told, I kinda like having her so near and dependent upon me for her strength. I don’t want to sound like I enjoy my pup’s suffering. Not at all. But on most days, she’ll rarely sit still for long. She’ll snuggle for just a minute or two before she’s off again meandering from room to room, from inside to outside and back in again. Yet it’s in the storm that she recognizes her need and seeks solace in my presence, allowing me to comfort her. Too often, I am meandering as well, flitting from one task to another, consumed by my activity and, in my distraction, missing the presence of the Lord.
The Lord doesn’t enjoy our suffering any more than we do, but He does promise that if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us (James 4:8). And so perhaps He does enjoy having us so close despite our trembling, renewing our strength in His presence.
I read somewhere that nothing improves your prayer life better than big trouble. There is value in the storm. It builds our faith, and it develops perseverance, maturity and wisdom (James 1:1-5). I only wish I didn’t wait for that big trouble before crying out to the Lord. I wish I was more faithful in the daily little troubles that I tend to tackle in my own strength rather than His. I want to be like a synchronized swimmer, every move I make in perfect harmony with Him.
How about you? Do you allow the storms to build your faith? And what about the peaceful times? Are you able to seek Him in the uneventful moments? He’s waiting for you…
So Lord, where are we going now?
Susan:
We have experienced storms, of the thunder type, this spring. We have also endured emotional storms this month.
When I hear of the warnings of the thunderstorms/tornadoes, I start praying.
When we started into our emotional storm, I prayed a different way. But I prayed.
With the actual storms, I pray they break up before they get to our area.
With the emotional storm, I prayed for what was best for the person who was injured.
Well written, Susan.
I just started reading Billy Graham's newest book /Storm Warning/ which uses this same analogy for a couple hundred pages.
I'll let you know what I think when I'm finished.
Blessings,
Jean
Hi Susan,
What a sweet puppy you have! Oh, her little face!
Nice analogy. The storms ALWAYS push me closer to the Lord. Always. Once the clouds pass, my faith is indeed strengthened, because I always learn something new about my Savior.
Blessings!
She is so cute! I am not always where I'd like to be during the storms, but I am getting there. Believing to be a wonderful work in progress and very glad that He is faithful and patient.
Blessings,
Karen 🙂
Wonderful words, my friend! I am not a fan of the storms, but I too know that they make us stronger and depend more on Him! Thank you for this great post! And your "baby" is too cute!!
Hugs!
Susan
Dear Susan, You are so gifted in bringing us practical messages using everyday situations. I just love this one. I think I'll go sit at the feet of my Master now. Thank you.