A few weeks ago, we had some awesome storms come through Eastern North Carolina. I have never seen anything like it before. In the Midwest, I am sure it is a common occurrence, but not here. Eastern North Carolina ended up with four small tornadoes, if there is such a thing. Praise the Lord the damage was relatively minor. Of course, it is only minor if it doesn’t happen to you, right? No lives were lost in North Carolina, but other states were not as fortunate.
When the storm warnings came out, we proceeded to take precautions. At the academy we had already announced early dismissal. We kept an eye on the weather throughout the morning to be sure there were no additional surprises. As soon as school let out, we released our staff and said a prayer over the families and properties of the ministry. On my way home, my mind shifted to the families and friends who may be in harm’s way.
All afternoon my husband and I sat and watched the weather anticipating what would happen next. There were bands of storms coming through on the radar. The first one was a very large band and it appeared an area of concern was coming straight for us. As it got closer, it seemed to veer away. It was honestly confusing to me because the storms and fronts seemed to be coming from different directions. We began to watch intently as the area of circulation proceeded toward Goldsboro. We prayed as a tornado appeared to set down in Seven Springs. Our minds went to the families we knew who lived in that area. When the worst of the storm was headed to a new place, we began to pray for the families and ministry properties in that area.
Then there seemed to be a break in the storm. My husband and I breathed a sigh of relief when the sun came out. Wow! We were so glad things were calming down. We walked outside and saw we did not have any damage. As we came back inside, the meteorologist announced, “Don’t be fooled by the sunshine. There are more storms coming! We cannot let our guard down.”
We sat back down and listened to what he had to say. He explained that there was another band of storms coming. We suddenly had more decisions and more concerns. It was Wednesday, so was it safe for our church families to venture out? Where were the storms headed? How much damage was expected? We weathered the second round of storms and checked on family, friends, and property. We took a trip into Goldsboro to insure the school was ready for the next day. It was obvious when we arrived that God’s hand of protection had been on us. We stopped and praised Him for keeping us, as well as His building, safe.
It was no surprise to me to find out my husband was well aware of the danger long before the storm hit. He had been praying for God’s protection while I was going about my daily responsibilities. His watchful eye was over our family and ministry. I was secure because I knew he wasn’t worried. His faith was in our Creator. Whatever the outcome, God was in control.
Isn’t it amazing how seriously we took the tornadoes? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we would take the storms of life so seriously? We need to prepare for them as we would prepare for the tornadoes. We look out over our yard and make sure nothing can blow around and hurt or destroy anything. We go to the gas station and grocery store to prepare for the worst. If the power goes out, we need to drive to work and have food and water for sustenance. How well do we look around us and get rid of those things which would hurt our testimony? Do we get rid of the things that pollute our minds? These pollutants are much more destructive than tornadoes and do more permanent damage.
We go to the grocery store and get food and water. Do we spend time in prayer and Bible study feeding our soul? The Bible is the tool the Lord used to battle the devil. Three times in Luke chapter 4 our Lord told Satan, “It is written!” How are we going to use Scripture in our struggles if we don’t study and memorize it? The Bible has so many promises given to us by God. Romans 4 speaks of the promises given to Abraham and helps us to realize how our faith can be strengthened. Romans 8 lets us know we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus. Why are we so weak? We have an awesome God who loves us beyond compare, yet we cower and whine in our problems. We cannot look past our bank account and see our God owns the cattle on all the hills.
When the storm comes, we panic instead of resting in our Lord’s hands. If we have accepted Christ as Savior we are His children; we belong to Him. Just as a child feels safe when Daddy is home in a storm, we should feel safe in our Father’s arms in the storms of life. Whether the storm is a small one as a child having a cold or a large one when the child is taken unexpectedly, we should feel secure in our Father’s love. The small storms help prepare us for the next storm around the corner. As long as we are in this world, storms will come. We cannot let our guard down. We must stay prepared. We must be vigilant.
When each storm is over, we must look around and thank God for bringing us through the difficulty. Each time we will be stronger for the things we have learned in the situation. As other people go through the same storms that we have, we will be able to guide them through their difficulties. We are placed on this earth to serve our Heavenly Father. We do that by serving others.
Each time we walk outside and see the Sonshine, we can praise God for loving us, protecting us, and teaching us. After that final storm, we will finish our walk here on earth and walk in Heaven with Him. The struggles of life are gone. What a beautiful walk that will be!
Mrs. Worthington has five children and eight grandchildren. She serves as Principal of Pathway Christian Academy in Goldsboro.