Several weeks ago, I started this post, telling this story and reflecting on it. Then, camp got under way, I got busier than I could balance, and I left this story unfinished. Today, here is the story and some bigger perspective on it.
A few days ago, my friend and I unexpectedly met someone who taught us a huge lesson in a short amount of time.
In the 20 or 30 minutes we interacted with our new friend, she told us a story of excitement and anticipation followed by disappointment and doubt. Her best friend was in the midst of unmet expectations and one thing after another just not going the way she had hoped for.
Our friend described this massive storm in her best friend’s life, and her own advice through it: don’t forget, we have to praise in the storm.
So through this storm, they prayed and praised and hoped and praised and hurt and praised.
Our new friend energetically reenacted her best friend’s tears and her persistent advice: praise in the storm, praise in the storm.
And through the praise, the disappointments turned into new excitement and the hopes and prayers turned into reality. What they had hoped for is coming to life before their eyes.
Yet still, they praise. They don’t boast of their new joy, but they boast of the God who gave it to them. They don’t rejoice in the good fortune, but they rejoice in their answered prayers.
A few weeks ago, I found myself in a storm. Doubt and fear were BIG, lies and insecurity were getting to me, and comparison seemed to meet me at every corner–the enemy is fierce, friends.
But God.
God is big. And I know that. But sometimes it’s hard to remember. And when I do remember it, sometimes it’s hard to believe. And when I do believe it, sometimes it’s hard to have faith.
Last night, I was driving home pretty late and still had a few hours to go, and I could see a huge thunderstorm on the horizon. I didn’t have an option to stop somewhere and didn’t want wait it out for many hours, so I drove. Straight into an ominous, lightning-every-second, growing storm.
I had NO idea what I was getting myself in to. I couldn’t help but find comfort in the fact that God knew exactly what I was driving straight into the heart of, and I couldn’t help but marvel at the parallel to the storms in our lives.
When we can look at the horizons in our lives and see the storms–maybe its a job change, a new season starting, the loss of a loved one, or something else–we can appreciate that God knows what that storm is, can see us walking towards it, and wants us to draw near to Him in it.
So, in the midst of the storms, let us praise.
Praise the God who commands the winds and the waves to obey. (Psalm 107:29)
Praise the God who sees us in our mess and loves us anyways.
Praise the God who loves steadfastly and gives abundantly and pours out grace like we can’t get enough of it. (Spoiler alert: we can’t!)
Praise the God who works through the unexpected–people, moments, and relationships–to make His purposes clear.
When our life turns into storms that are big and thundering and overwhelming, let us praise the One who is calling us to grow deeper roots and build greater trust. The one who calls us to abide.
And when our life is just a little rain shower and a few passing dark clouds, let us praise the One who loves us with an endless, unwavering love.
Let. us. praise.
