Riding Out the Storm

My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine. (Proverbs 3:1-10 ESV).

Since I grew up on the island of Galveston, I am very familiar with hurricanes. In fact, I lived there during one of the worst storms to hit the island, Carla. It was a category five storm with winds in excess of 140 mph! We stayed on the island and rode out the storm. I remember much about those days. The winds howling, the rain and the flooding. The water rose over ten feet! It was devastating, but we survived and rebuilt.

The same may be true in your personal life. You may be facing a “storm.” Customers, bosses, subordinates, co-workers, friends, spouses, children, and society as a whole demand more and different from us every day. There seems to be no safe harbor as we try to ride out the storm. So the natural question for us to ask is what can we do? And how can we master the forces of change? Asking to master change is like asking to master the wind. While we cannot stop the wind, we can understand it, minimize its damage, and maximize its value. We can set our sails and our course to reach our destinations or we can batten the hatches, set the anchor and ride the storm. The challenge is to understand what to choose and who to follow as our navigator through the storms. Let me make a few suggestions:

 First, trust the Lord. It goes without saying that your first and best resource is the Lord’s strength. Trust Him to keep you through your trial.
 Second, involve your family. Communicate with them your thoughts and desires. Don’t make them guess and worse, fear themselves.
 Third, get rid of useless baggage. Recheck your priorities and rid yourself of needless burdens. Simplify and survive.
 Fourth, understand the need to vent your anger appropriately. Take care to think before you speak.
 Fifth, be optimistic, but realistic. Know your limitations and work within them.
 Sixth, accept the fact that life requires change. It is stressful, but when managed it can be very positive.

I marveled at the way some of the palm trees swayed with the winds of hurricane Carla. The bent, but never broke. With your trust in the Lord, you can do the same.