Day 77
Principle: There are no accidental storms. Embrace each one.
Mountain Mike Shreve, a dear friend of our family, earned his nickname because he is one of the most knowledgeable men alive about the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Mike has lived his whole life in South Lake Tahoe and seen more snowstorms than he can remember. Located at 6,500 feet above sea level, Lake Tahoe provides some of the best skiing on Earth.
One Christmas, as we were visiting, he told me, “Heavy winters bring more bountiful summers.” The comment sparked a revelation. We all appreciate spring flowers and summer fruit, but it’s the dying in the fall and the storms of winter that bring the most bountiful harvests. Our failure to fully appreciate the storms of life merely demonstrates how shortsighted we really are. Interestingly, the opposite is also true; an over-dependence upon temporary satisfaction invariably leads to future disappointment. Bless the storms in your life, and stop chasing fleeting pleasures.
Mike also shared with me, “Every storm feels the same coming in; whether it brings two inches of snow or two feet.” We never know which storm will bring the most challenge or the most benefit to our lives. Therefore, embrace storms as they come; there are no accidental storms. An omniscient God, who always has our best interest in mind, handcrafts every one.
But, don’t lose sight if this fact as well. God has no desire to give you peace from the storms of life. His plan is to give you peace in the storm. Peace that comes when the storm stops is temporary. Learning to have peace during the storms of life is far better. This brings eternal blessings. We were created to meet Jesus in the middle of our storms. Frankly, few of us have time for Him outside of them.
- What helps you find peace in the storms of your life?
- What benefits have you realized from storms?
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