Storm Clouds

“Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. . . . The men were amazed & asked, ‘What kind of man is this? Even the winds & the waves obey him!’” (Matthew 8:24,27)

This summer in Melbourne, we have had more sultry humid weather than we usually do. Today we had black clouds build up & threaten the rain & storms we all hoped would come, only to find that they passed & the sun came out again. It seemed that we would just have the forecast of rain, but nothing eventuate again.

Then this afternoon, it got so dark, we knew the storms were really coming this time & sure enough, before long, we were being pounded by strong winds & hailstones – larger than I’ve ever seen before, along with some much needed rain. It didn’t last a long time, though it was quite severe, but as I was listening to the radio, they had warned that one front would pass, then another equally as damaging, would follow it, so telling people to stay inside.

As I waited inside for that follow-up front to come, I was reminded that for many of us who live with chronic illness, life can be a series of storms at times. Just when we feel that we have come to terms with what is going on in our lives, maybe accepted that it will continue to be part of life for us – it seems that something new comes along to challenge us. Sometimes the time between these new challenges is a long time, or at others, they can seem to come with the force & frequency of storm fronts.

Just as God is in control of the storms that come as part of our changing weather, He is also aware of all the challenges that face us in our journey of chronic illness. Some days the storm clouds may depress & scare us, but we also experience days of sunshine & balmy weather that help us feel brighter. The storm clouds will pass, or with God’s help we will have the strength to endure them. He promises to never leave or forsake us, no matter what storms we face.

Prayer: Father, I pray that you will comfort us when the storm clouds seem to overwhelm us, & remind us of your presence & your grace in our lives. Amen

About the Author:
Fiona Burrows lives in Melbourne, Australia. She is grateful that she doesn’t have to face the storms of living with chronic pain, on her own – God’s grace is her lifeline. She enjoys writing about what life is teaching her.

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• Super storm & giant hailstones lash Melbourne (telegraph.co.uk)