The Necessity of the Storms That Strengthen Us

Nestled in the top of our mountain valley there are three lakes that are a popular destination for summer fun. They are fed by rainfall and snowmelt and their water level is a direct result of how much moisture we’ve received.

This summer, the water level of the lakes was at an all-time low and the Division of Water Resources declared that 99.4% of our state was in extreme drought.

The lakes all but dried up. There was simply not enough water.

It takes snow and rain, and lots of it, to fill our lakes and streams and reservoirs.

Sometimes that’s hard to remember when we’re driving home in a swirling snowstorm in the dark of night trying desperately to stay on the road and not spin out of control on the ice. I have to admit that during those times, I’m not thinking about how grateful I should be for the moisture that will fill our lakes and irrigation canals.

But the reality is, these storms and rainy days are desperately needed in our desert mountain home to maintain adequate water levels.

You can’t have one without the other.

It is human nature to want to avoid the storms of life and we are incredibly grateful when things are going smoothly. But if all we had was an easy life, where would our confidence and belief in our ability to succeed come from? Finding strength amid a personal crisis that keeps us moving forward in our desired direction is a powerful force in our development.

Success begets success and confidence breeds confidence.

We are here to be tried and tested. To see if we will become, of our own choice, believers and followers of Christ – who, incidentally, did not have an easy life.

As we continually turn our hearts towards God, even and especially, during times of strife, we will experience the power of the promise of the Lord when He said,

“I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you.”

As we weather these storms in faith, our personal reservoirs will be filled and we will discover that with God, we have enough and to spare.

These storms will help us blossom like the lily and take root like the stalwart cedars of Lebanon.