Twenty-Something and Scared of Thunderstorms

Last Night, God was roaring through the lands (well Oakmont) that He is Mighty, how did you respond?  

I can tell you that I've been scared of thunderstorms all my life.  I'm not sure why I am, perhaps just the loud thunder and the flashing of electricity lighting up the darkness of the night.  As I've gotten older, it seems to have gotten worse since The Devil likes to induce my anxiety with thoughts of terrible events occurring.  In Oakmont, we have manyyyyyy large trees surrounding each and every house.  We happen to live under the largest Oak Tree still standing in Oakmont.  Well you can imagine how I can feel anxious during each and every storm.  

Last night was no different.  There were two storms last night and the first one I mildly slept through only momentarily waking up but the second one was a monstrous one.  The cracks of thunder were not even seconds apart from the lightening meaning that the storm was right on top of us.  For one of the first times, instead of laying there awake and worrying, I began to pray.  I knew that I wasn't going to sleep any time soon, so I might as well make those minutes meaningful and talk to God.  Eventually the storm passed and I was able to fall back asleep.

Remember when I wrote about Jonah being swallowed by a whale?  Jonah tried to run from God and only when Jonah was obedient did the storm calm.  When he put his focus on God did the storm diminish.  I think we can take that lesson into our lives.  Sometimes our storms may not resolve immediately but when we focus on God, the severity lessens.  

So how do you respond to storms in your life?  Do you try to resolve it yourself, only to make it worse and put others in harms way like Jonah first tried to do?  Do you focus on God, ask for His strength to get through it, and take away your fear?  More importantly, have you praised God during a storm?  

From the storm that I have endured the past year, I praise God each and every day that He brought me through it.  I have deepened my faith and knowledge in The Lord and that was worth every second of agony.  I know that God was with me because He promises:

"Be strong and courageous.  

Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, 

for the LORD your God goes with you; 

he will never leave you nor forsake you." 

(Deuteronomy 31: 6)

God is never far away, it might only seem like that because you pushed Him away.  You relied on your strength instead of the ultimate power of The One who created you.  Human strength will always fail, it was only when I turned to God that my storms seemed manageable.  So what are you going to do next time there is a storm in your life?

Comment, message or email me if you have a storm in your life that needs some prayers!  I would be honored to pray for you :D

~A