Prospering through Storms

My son and I share a love for running that blesses my heart.  When we started running I could not only outrun him in distance, but also in speed. He has surpassed me in speed, now, but I can still run farther and longer. When he asks why I can continue running when he is spent, I remind him, I have been running longer and know how to pace myself so that I can finish the race.

We are actively preparing to cross the finish line, successfully, because we are running towards the one who already has the victory.

He has also decided he must run ahead of me.  Always starting out fast so he can get a good distance in front of me, sometimes turning to see where I am. While the competitive spirit to ‘beat Mom’ is humorous, the image it presents is humbling.  I can see how the very heart of the leader and protector that God has made him to be shines through.  It is amazing, to me,  how this picture is also like the one of the Father, who is before us, on the path of our lives.  Unlike my son, who can only be in one place at a time, God is ever before us, behind us, beside us, ever present and continual in all our moments.

It is the Lord Who goes before you; He will [march] with you; he will not fail you or let you go or forsake you; fear not, neither become broken in spirit, dismayed and unnerved with alarm.

~Deuteronomy 31:8 (amp)

Then I realize that He is speaking truth to me as I am running, revealing more of Himself through the images of my daily living.  It is here, in these moments, I hear the heartbeat of the Father, when my legs are moving and my heart is pumping oxygen-soaked blood to my limbs.  It is here, when my brain is turned off from the consistent thinking, and I am quiet before Him in my heart and my head.   I realize, too, this is exactly what I did to teach my very active boy phonics when he was 6 years old. Once I got his body moving, I could get his brain focused on what I was saying. Isn’t it funny, how close to the tree the apple did fall?

As we are running and I am watching this young man who is eager to bless and serve I am reminded of the nature of our Christian walk. We are called to serve one another, to bless, to pray and to hold up. We are called to community and fellowship, communion and breaking bread, to prayer and unity in the Spirit, and to worship in Truth.   It amazes me just how simple following Him can be. Ironically, it requires the imperceptible action of repetitive motion before my inner ear tunes in to the silent still voice speaking persistently to my heart.

We are made to rest in His presence,  even in the storms of life because HE is the anchor of our hope.

Quickly, the weather began to change today.  As we started running, the humidity was a little overwhelming.  My allergies were making it harder to catch my breath; I hadn’t noticed them bothering me before I ran, though.   Not only was it humid, it was hot.  I could feel the heat of the sun beating down upon my back and knew I may not make the full course today. The heat usually doesn’t bother me but it was somewhat oppressive today. Perhaps because I had spent much of the morning in the garden pulling weeds that the garden fairy missed last week,  and assessing the growth of the seeds we planted earlier.

I could see the trees bending before I felt the wind blowing. I could hear the wind moving before I understood the motion of the breeze upon my skin.  It was surreal.  Yet, God gives us glimpses of what is ahead of us, often, in order to prepare for the upcoming storm.  He reminds us over and over in His word to expect trials, to gird up and to prepare for them to come, and even to rejoice in them.(James 1:2, John 16:33, Romans 5:3-4) When I stepped in to the updraft wind, it was 20 degrees cooler, like stepping through a doorway into an air conditioned room.

Look for the glimpse He is giving you to prepare for what is ahead of you.

As the clouds moved in, swiftly covering the light blue ceiling covering me, I noticed not only a change in the temperature, but the colors before me. The light was still visible behind the clouds, but it was being bent and causing an entirely different hue to radiate out to my eyes.  It reminds me of the times I wear my polarized sun glasses and the amplified images that present themselves as my eyes take in the terrain.  The clouds looked a bit concerning, and I remembered how easy fear rises at the perception of what they are bringing, but when I turned around I saw clear sky and sunshine. I understood, through the light that shone above, that the storm would  be a brief one.

Even though the thunder was booming and the rain was threatening to fall, all I had to do was look toward the light to be reassured of the temporal nature of the circumstance.

I confess, that is not always how I view the storms of my life. Though they may be temporal, I sometimes feel they last too long. Bringing unwelcome distraction; sometimes, deterring my running so much that I have to turn to an alternate route to find my way to safety.   Today, as I looked about, I realized that all I have to really do, all I am required to do, is to turn to the light.

When I turn towards the Light of His countenance, then I can rest in the grace He has already provided and trust that He is working out something beautiful within.

As I rounded the corner I found my son already in the house. He had read the signs and proceeded to safety without hesitation.  Contemplating the time I had to finish the run, I realized I left seeds out on the picnic table and they  would be drowned if the rains dropped before I got there.

Willingly I headed to the garden to find my supplies waiting my diligent return to the shed, and out pops the head of my neighbor who stopped to get something.  As we are discussing the state of my newly weeded vegetable patch, the heavens opened and the rain fell.

I was standing under a large walnut tree, near our machine shed, so I was nicely protected from the pouring that was drenching everything else around me.  I smiled, because though, I felt a few sprinkles, I heard the hush of the  drops cascading down to the earth,  and I saw the effect of the heavy condensation pulled by gravity.  I did not feel the weight of its descent.

{Psalm 91:8 tells us that  we will be kept safe in perilous times and will only be a spectator to those difficult things that are going on all around  us.}

It was glorious to watch, for a moment. Yet, I had to run through it to get to the house.  When I did, I felt like a little kid playing in the rain. The heat of the day had been pushed away by the cool breeze and the wet raindrops were cold and cleansing.  I could feel His heart beating with mine and laughter rumbled up. This was how we could praise God in the storm! This is how we can have joy like a child.

Joy comes in the storm when we run with reckless abandon toward the safety of His arms and we rejoice in the promise of reception by the Father who is urging us on and calling us home.

He is the hope that anchors us, pulling and gently reeling us in through every storm we weather. He is the light that we look to as we find ourselves lost in the darkness and waves that roll.  He is the whisper that comes before the wind starts blowing, reminding us that He has never left us nor forsaken us.  He is the one who is running before us, telling us the steps to take as we follow Him. He is always faithful.

We have this hope as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul that reaches farther and enters into the very certainty of the Presence within the veil.  -Hebrews 6:19

The storm was short, as I expected,  and the colors came alive when the sun’s rays bathed the freshly baptized lawn.  The smell was crisp, clean, and calming.  It was intoxicating.  I didn’t miss the lesson He taught me.

• Prepare for the storm.
•  Turn to look to the source of my hope.
• Allow Him to pull and reel me into the safety of His arms.
• Trust the cleansing power of the trial.
• Rejoice in the nearness of His presence.
• Know that His plan will always be for my good and His glory.

Wherever you are, remember He is present.

My sweet friends, I don’t know if you are experiencing a storm today, or if you are feeling beaten by the waves of life. I don’t know if you are wading in the sea of discontent and discouragement, or sailing on calm waters with gentle breezes.  Perhaps you are in the lull before the storm or regrouping from the aftermath of a howling tempest.  Maybe you are soaking in a constant rainfall wondering if the sun will peak out to warm you, or you are sitting calmly in the peace that we are rewarded with when the sun shines again.

Wherever you are, remember that you are always surrounded by the presence of the Father, who never leaves you. (1 Chr. 22:18) I encourage you to step out into the rain, be cleansed by the power of its washing, and let the light of His love reach the very depths of your soul.

Don’t forget to laugh in the rain!

~Blessings and Prayer,

Linking up with lovely hearts below:

Holley @ Coffee for your Heart

Jennifer @ #TellHisStory

Lyli @ Thought Provoking Thrusday

Crystal @ Thriving Thursday

Beth @ Three Word Wednesdays