Storms Forecasted for Today

Last night's forecast for central Iowa was wrought with foreboding. Severe thunderstorms would be rolling in during the night and possible damaging hail would accompany those storms. "If you have a garage, put your cars away," the local meteorologist advised. When I woke this morning and took my little dachshund outside I realized the deck wasn't wet. "I thought we were getting storms overnight," I said over my shoulder to my husband. "They're coming," he responded. "You'll drive into them on your way to the gym," he predicted. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a flash of lightning as I took Brady back inside to his crate and braced myself to leave for my morning workout. As I backed the car down the driveway sprinkles of water formed on my windshield. The further I drove west the more it fell, but not heavy enough to warrant a constant swish-swish of my wiper blades. I arrived at the gym and got out of the car to light sprinkles. Where's the storm? I turned on the tv when I got to the gym to see when the big one would hit and still they forecasted heavy thunderstorms for the entire day, and indeed for the next six days. After my workout and shower I walked out to the car to drop off my gym bag and towels...still light sprinkles. Where's the storm? I held out my hand palm up to the sky and wondered when it was actually coming. So often bad "weather" is forecast into our lives and we go about our day preparing for the worst. Thunder of preconcieved danger loom on the horizon and we head to the storm shelter of our inner being to protect ourselves from failure or danger before a single cloud is in our sky. Week-long predicted "rain" pelts us on all sides and we wonder if we'll ever see upper 70's sunshine in our lives again. Oh, the enemy of our souls does love to beat us down, doesn't he? Still, that's where the umbrella of the Holy Spirit comes into our lives, why our heavenly Father has given us the Sword of His Word, to shield, protect and fight against the darkening skies of bitter painful storms, if and when they come. However, today, today I choose to look up, past those storm clouds, for the sun is always shining. Oh, I may not see the Son through the clouds of doubt, fear, disappontment or frustration, but it's there. I've just got to release my faith in my heavenly Meteorologist and believe that He will burn the storms of my life away or he will give me what I need to weather those battle-storms. It may be very dark outside, the humidity of failures may hang over me, but inside, where my Lord lives, I'm dancing, I'm rejoicing in His Son as He shines His light on my soul. Whew! What a great day it's going to be!