Thunderstorm thoughts

The God of peace will be with you. — Philippians 4:9

I laugh every time I hear the radio commercial that has a woman shouting to her friend in conversation. She’s trying to talk above the sounds of the thunderstorm in her own head. Ever since a storm damaged part of her home, that’s all she hears because her insurance company isn’t taking care of her claims.

I’ve heard thunderstorms in my head, and maybe you have too. It happens when a tragedy occurs — to us, to someone close to us, or to someone we hear about in the news. Our minds become a tempest of “what if” questions. We focus on all the possible bad outcomes. Our fear, worry, and trust in God fluctuate as we wait, we pray, we grieve, and we wonder what the Lord will do.

It’s natural for us to be fearful in a storm (literal or figurative). The disciples had Jesus right there in the boat with them, yet they were afraid (Mat. 8:23-27). He used the calming of the storm as a lesson to show them who He was — a powerful God who also cares for them.

We wish that Jesus would always calm the storms of our life as He calmed the storm for the disciples that day. But we can find moments of peace when we’re anchored to the truth that He’s in the boat with us and He cares.    — Anne Cetas

Fierce drives the storm, but wind and waves

Within His hand are held,

And trusting His omnipotence

My fears are sweetly quelled. — Brown

READ: Matthew 8:23-27

To realize the worth of the anchor, we need to feel the stress of the storm.

The Bible in one year:

• 2 Samuel 12-13

• Luke 16