Monday, April 11, 2011

My dearest God,

I was in a bad storm last Saturday. I was headed for a funeral in southern Indiana when the skies turned really black. The winds picked up. When the rain began to fall, it cascaded in sheets. Within seconds the hail fell pelting the car. I was in unfamiliar territory. I was on winding, twisting roads in the middle of nowhere. I was afraid.

At first I found shelter under a stand of trees but when the hail became bigger and the winds more fierce, I knew I had to move to safer ground. I got back out on the road driving slowly trying to find a place of safety. Finally I pulled into the gravel parking lot of a small business. There I sat trying to wait out the nasty storm.

The storm did pass and just an hour later the skies changed from gray to blue. The sun began to shine, the temperature started rising, and the white puffy clouds returned. All was well.

As I reflect now upon the scary event, I realize there have been many times in life when storms brewed and I was frightened. Sometimes those storms included conflicts that lasted more than an hour or two. Dark clouds lingered for a long time. It took what seemed forever for the disturbance to pass.

Yet what I have learned in every situation is that there are times when I have no control whatsoever. In those moments I have to ride out the storm, rely on you, crying out to you for help, guidance, and comfort. When I suddenly discover I am not alone, you activate my faith and I find hope, strength, and courage. You guide me to take steps that generally include trust, confession, negotiation, and resolution. You show me several ways that the conflict can be handled. You point out my own error but give me ways to change, to transform. You remind me that forgiveness always plays a part in resolving any difficulty. You show me the way providing security for those moments I feel afraid. You ask me to trust you and follow your lead. As I listen and humbly obey, the storm begins to break up and the sun begins to peek through. No matter the difficulty you unveil the way to not only make it through the storm but to rise up and move on.

Help me
to always
trust you,
Great Loving God;
teach me
valuable life lessons
that require
my trust.
More than anything
I want
to trust you
for all things.
I want
to be faithful
in my
life journey.
Make me
a life pilgrim
filled with
your spirit,
I pray.

Love, Andrea