Musings

As I complete this article, my mind is spinning so fast with so much concern that I feel like I’m in a tornado. Tornadoes are so destructive whenever they drop down from the sky above. The not only destroy property, they also take the lives of those who are not adequately prepared for the onslaught that the storm carries. I feel like I haven’t adequately prepared for this storm that is raging around me right now. It is taking a huge toll on my personal psyche, and I am struggling to make it through the storm. There is only one thing that is keeping me moving ahead: my faith in God.

As tornadoes wreak havoc in the serene creation that God created, I am also reminded that God is the one who can control the storm. Nothing in creation exists except God made it. Howard Thurman said, “At the core of life is a hard purposefulness, a determination to live.” He also spoke of the juxtapositions of life that can seem to be so unfair, especially when we focus on the negative side of creation. Where there is love, we must also look for hatred rear its ugly head. Where there is peace, we will invariably encounter confusion and chaos. Where there is joy, we must come to appreciate and expect sadness. Why? Because our faith seems to be under constant trial and assault for the counterpart to the creator God. Lucifer, Satan, the devil is always busy.

God is a shelter in the time of storm; a very present help in the time of trouble. It is just as easy to turn away from the Lord as it is to turn to him if you don’t belong to him. However, when you are confident in your relationship, you can say with Job, “Even if I die, I will trust in him.” The storm will not last always, and the calm is truly more appreciated when you consider the alternative.