finding beauty in the storm

I was born and raised in Florida.

Summertime in Florida is wonderful, but also full of thunderstorms.

This past weekend John and I made a trip from Florida to Louisiana. While we were driving it was mostly cloudy with a chance of rain, but after hours of cloudy skies, the sun came out. 

I can't even put into words how beautiful the sky was.

The sun came out from behind the clouds majestically.  

John and I took it in for ourselves and didn't even post it to our social networks (gasp!).

Ever since that drive home God has been stirring a word within me. 

All of us go through various storms of life. Our storms aren't identical, but we all have them.

Some are public storms while others are private that are only between us and God. 

Whatever the type of storm, there is still beauty in the storm, {Jesus}. 

God is shown even more magnificent in the hard times.

Sometimes life leaves us wounded, unable to see God in the situation, or leaving us so hurt/weak that we don't even WANT to see God in the situation.

But, God...

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. 

Psalm 34:18

He is with us through it all. 

He never leaves us, He never forsakes us. He is with us in the good times and the bad times.

He is our faithful Friend, Comforter, Father and Savior. 

Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 

Hebrews 13:5

To forsake means to abandon. God NEVER abandons His children.

Although the clouds and storms of life try to block our view of the glorious "Son," it doesn't mean that He isn't still there. 

When we take our eyes off of our own personal storm and look past the clouds we see Him there. 

We see how beautiful and faithful He really is  in every and any situation. 

Dear Heavenly Father,

I thank You for the storms of life. I thank You that in them we experience you in a way that wouldn't be possible without them. I love you with every bit of who I am.

In Jesus' Name

Amen