Photo By LUCAS JACKSON/REUTERS
My thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected by Hurricane Sandy this week. The full extent has not yet been determined, but the damage is of unprecedented, epic proportions. I join with so many of you that I’m sure are counting your blessings this morning.
Storms, whether meteorological or metaphorical, are a reality of life on earth. It seems we are in a never-ending cycle; either just going into a storm, in the midst of a storm, or coming out of a storm. It’s inevitable. What matters most is what we do in the midst of it.
Consider the hurricane. The ‘eye’ is typically a circular area found in the center. It is surrounded by a ring of violent thunderstorms and as we know, the repercussions of it can be far-reaching – triggering other disastrous events. But at the very core of the ‘eye’, the axis of rotation, the winds are calm. There is little or no precipitation and sometimes blue sky or stars can be seen. Now, this is a very simplistic explanation, but how can we apply this to life?
What if we were able to live in the ‘eye’ of the storms of life? What if, no matter how loud the troubles that surrounded us bellowed, we could find peace, calm, and serenity? What if, we could choose to be still and trust in the middle of the storm? This is not to suggest that we do nothing to proactively prepare for the storm. However, when it comes, and it will, we have a choice. Do we try to escape through the wall of thunder and lightning, bursting through only to get caught up in the raging winds that encircle and toss us off our path, or do we center ourselves, trust, and ride it out? The latter, goes completely against our natural instincts.
And what comes after the storm? Depending on our focus, we will see how we have grown spiritually and emotionally. We might even cross paths with someone else who is experiencing the same type of storm and we can share with them the hope that comes in the aftermath. Dare I say that we can find joy, in the storm?
“The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble;
he knows those who take refuge in him.” Nahum 1:7
source: http://gohsep.la.gov/factsheets/FactsAboutHurricaneEye.htm
bonafidelife 