A tree with strong roots can endure any type of wind. No matter how tall the tree’s trunk is, the roots are what matters. Whether you are in the middle of a storm or not, seeking God and learning to trust Him in all things can begin now.

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Full Transcript Below

Storms Only Last a Season

By Sarah Frazer

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by. Psalm 57:1 (ESV)

The storms that have blown through the eastern part of our beautiful country have devastated so much. People, buildings, animals, and nature all succumbed to the storms' power. As so many friends, neighbors, and family pick up the pieces of the physical storms that have come through, I can’t help but think about those storms in our lives that devastate us in other ways. 

Things like cancer, heart attacks, grief, loss, depression, anxiety, and so much more have touched so many lives. These types of storms aren’t cleaned up in a few days, weeks, or even months. Sometimes, these storms leave us ragged and worn for a long time. 

We often don’t have any warning for these types of storms either. In Psalm 57, David, the rightful king, runs away from King Saul. Saul wants to kill David, and, in a panic, David writes Psalm 57. In the middle of a cave, in the dark, with the storm of an angry king threatening his very life, David writes these words. 

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by. Psalm 57:1 (ESV)

David knows the storm is here, and he is seeking refuge. Instead of running to weapons, war, or his own strength, David runs to God. When the storms of life threaten to overturn our faith, do we run to God first? Do we see Him in our true refuge?

I admit sometimes I try to fix things on my own. I exhaust all of my own resources before coming to God. Let’s take a pause and speak to God in the midst of our storm: 

“God! Be my refuge.” 

What I love is that David acknowledges that he is in the middle of a storm but also reminds himself that storms will pass. He says, “Till the storms of destruction pass by.” The storms will pass by. The storm will not last forever. We get caught up in the moment and the aftermath of the destruction that we forget that the storms will soon be gone. 

Just like the hurricanes pass by, the waters will recede, and the sun will reappear again, God will stay the storms of life and they won’t last forever. We can hang on to God because He is a safe refuge and strong enough to help us through. Each day we can come to God with our weaknesses and say, “I can’t do this.” And realize that is ok! God is more than able to hold us up. 

What I love is that not only does David remind us that the storms of life will pass, but that the storms are there to serve God’s purpose for our lives. David says in the next verse: 

I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. Psalm 57:2 (ESV)

God had a purpose for David’s life, and He has a purpose for us as well. Right now, the storm might be coming, or you might feel like you are in the middle of that storm. God has a purpose for this storm. No, He doesn’t wish or cause the hard things present in your life right now, but God can use even those things for His glory and our good. In all of this, God’s purpose is to make us more like Christ (Romans 8:28-29).

May we endure the storms in the shadow of God’s care, understanding that the storms will pass and everything - even this - is part of God’s plan. 

Intersecting Faith & Life:

Our faith is often most evident when the storms come. Will we rely on God, or will we trust our own abilities to just endure it? I think we so often see life as a choice to trust God or not. The key is to develop a heart of faith along the way. So many people failed when their faith was tested because they failed to walk with God even during the “sunny days.” 

What you do between storms fortifies your life and gets you ready for the surge of what might be coming. We don’t live in dread or expect doom around every corner. Instead, we learn the daily habit of meeting with God in prayer and Bible reading while developing our faith muscles one little bit at a time. 

A tree with strong roots can endure any type of wind. No matter how tall the tree’s trunk is, the roots are what matters. Whether you are in the middle of a storm or not, seeking God and learning to trust Him in all things can begin now. Storms won’t last forever, but our faith can! 

What is one aspect of God’s character that can help anchor your heart in a storm? 

Further Reading

Isaiah 4:6

Nahum 1:7

Psalm 107:29

Matthew 8:26

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