Necessary Storm

A few weeks ago our city suffered a bad snowstorm -- the kind where the roads are coated in thick dirty snow, the snowflakes are more like giant slush balls and the wind whips around causing whiteouts and very poor visibility.

As I drove to work during this mess, I found myself staring intently at the road, driving very slowly and making sure every action that I took was carefully considered so as to avoid an accident. For the most part, I hate snowstorms. I hate the way everything grinds to a halt and how difficult it is to follow through on the plans you may have -- snowstorms make life just a bit too difficult, which is probably why they only happen sporadically during the year. Mostly during winter, or as we saw a couple years ago, sometimes in spring. Whatever the case may be, they are not a regular occurrence -- and it is probably a good thing. With a lot of snowstorms, people would be bound inside, things would freeze up and life would not be very enjoyable.

But as I turned onto the road leading to my office that snowy morning three weeks ago, the Holy Spirit gave me a thought -- "Once the snowstorm passes, and the snow melts, the earth will be renewed". Because that is ultimately what happens after a snowstorm... over time, the warming effects of the sun melt the ice and snow and wash away the dirt and debris. The moisture from the melting snow goes into lakes, rivers, fields, trees, flowers and gardens providing life-sustaining nutrients as spring dawns. Spring follows winter. Or you may say, renewal follows every storm.

The storm I am in right now is just that -- a blanket of snow that must fall before renewal comes. It's not pleasant: sometimes it is hard to see through, the snow is deep and I trudge along, but ultimately I know that the Son will melt all the ice around me and renew my soul.

Snow falls only after the clouds build up -- they fill up and up and up before there is a trigger and things start to fall.

In my own life, it was sin and a continued inability to put God and His precepts FIRST that I think lead to this snowstorm. At some point God needs to give us a wake-up call -- and though it may be loud and harsh, it is sometimes a necessary thing to get us out of our slumber.

Scripture does support snow being an example of renewal... consider this metaphor from Isaiah 1:18:

"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool"

Is your life scarlet right now? What areas does God need to cleanse? For me, the cleansing began afresh on January 3 as God decided that it was a good time for a snowstorm to hit my life. And blizzards are no fun: the snow blows around, your extremities freeze and you just desire to be bundled up against the harshness of the cold. But bundling ourselves up against the harshness is AGAINST the whole purpose of renewal, isn't it? God sometimes needs to take us outside of our comfort zone -- away from that cozy fireplace and thick down comforter - and toss us outside among the wind and the ice in order to set things right again. In order to make the scarlet areas glow with the whiteness - the purity - of HIS glory.

Psalm 51:10-13 is a familiar Psalm -- familiar because we have heard it sang in church, and because if you are anything like me, you have likely prayed it before... perhaps absently, but you have prayed it: "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you".

How can we -- how could I -- expect God to create a pure heart in me if I continued to stumble along as I had -- conscious Sunday of a great sermon, but living contrary to His Word and will every other day? Creation, renewal and restoration can ONLY happen when the ground is pure, the earth has been tilled... when the bad stuff is stripped away and we as Christians stand before our God without pride and baggage. Or to continue the nature theme, if our soil is dry to God... if it is sandy and dead of nutrients, doesn't God have an obligation to send a storm our way?!

I like the way verse 13 says "... THEN I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you!". We like to brag when we live through a major storm... "I was there when the 1998 ice storm hit!" or "I managed to make it home through that massive blizzard"... but in this case, God is giving us something else to brag about: surviving a spiritual storm of renewal... and THEN we will have the ability to brag about it... and who does that bring glory to? God:

Philippians 1:29: "God gave you the honor not only of believing in Christ but also of suffering for him, both of which bring glory to Christ".

Colossians 1:29: "To do this, I work and struggle, using Christ's great strength that works so powerfully in me".

When we make it through the storms in our lives with Christ by our side, we are more likely to testify to HIS greatness. And as WE testify, Christ and God are glorified -- and made powerfully real and relevant to those who do not believe. If people see us being tested and us emerging STRONGER after those tests BECAUSE OF OUR FAITH in God through Christ, there is an opening to introduce them to God, and for Him to do a renewal in THEIR lives.

But first, we have to get through the storm... and shed the garbage of our own lives in the process.

James 3:10-12: "Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water".

How true is that verse -- I was trying to live a scarlet life Monday to Saturday and a snowy white one on Sunday morning! During my week, dirt and debris came out of my mouth and on Sunday I had the gall to stand before God and sing praise -- praise, yet my life was anything but a praise to the Lord! Hence, the need for snow, the freeze and the coming springtime of renewal.

I found this verse in Isaiah 55:10-11 that I thought fit very well this idea of a new spring -- a new season in my life:

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

This snowstorm will pass. The pain will go away. And I will be renewed -- I will be left in a better position to "bud and flourish" as God intended. Nothing that He allows to happen to us will be bad for us... ultimately, it will ALWAYS lead to good. We know this because that is what the Word says -- Romans 8:28 reminds us that "We know that in ALL things God works for the GOOD of those who love Him". Perhaps we have forgotten that we need to actively love Him. That it isn't just some passive expression that we mutter every Sunday as we drag ourselves into a house of worship. Sunday Christianity and Weekday Worldliness are not conducive. Rather it is akin to an early frost... it coats the earth -- our hearts, our minds and our souls -- and renders us useless to what God needs us to do. Which is why He sometimes allows us to be caught in a storm -- it's not only good for us, but for Him!

For in the midst of a storm, where are our eyes turned: to God.

Think about the example of the disciples stuck in the storm while Christ slept in the bow of the boat... they were overwhelmed with fear at the storm, but Christ SLEPT soundly. How often during this time have I ran away with fear in my heart? Fear in my soul? Anxious that the storm would pass me by so that I was not overwhelmed with water (or snow)... alot... an awful lot. Yet, as I was reminded during a sermon by Max Lucado and by my pastor, storms may seem scary to us but they are a necessary step to building faith. And Christ - God's SON - is never afraid. Ever. He sleeps soundly while we run around:

Luke 8:22-25: "One day Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's go over to the other side of the lake." So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!" He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. "Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him."

Sometimes it takes a storm for us to find our faith again -- and after we find it, God will allow things to be calmed once again. Afterall, we bud and flourish in springtime.

So does His Kingdom.

I'll get through the storm -- it is just a season, afterall. And I can always look up in the midst of the snow and squall, and I'll see the Son poking through -- even if some days the storm clouds may hide it. The Son will bring renewal and a heart that is more attune to His will for me.

I can't wait until spring.