| James 1:2 – “James 1:2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” |
It happened again. 5:50 am and storm warning sirens sounded. I awakened our son, and my wife and we gathered in our hallway bathroom. It is our designated storm cellar. But what I am referring to that “happened again” is a memory that this always triggers.
As we took seats in the bathroom (my wife on the lowered lid toilet, our son on a stool stored under the vanity, and me on the edge of the tub) I thought we should pray. And here it came. My wife, many years ago, had our three sons gathered in the bathroom shelter to ride out a storm. She: “We need to pray”. Our middle son Benjamin said “Thank You for the storm.”
It was an exciting gift to his way of thinking. Thank You for the storm. It was not what I was wanting to say this morning. I was hearing strong winds and hail at that moment. I always recall his prayer though. After our storm this morning, I saw out our windows tree limbs down everywhere. A big one fell from our pecan. It shaded a large Crepe Myrtle beneath it. I thought how that was good for the Crepe Myrtle, as it cannot bloom in the shadow of the pecan. I found myself saying thank You for the storm.
James commands us to “count it all joy when you encounter various trials”. Our trials produce good qualities in us. They do a good work in us to make us more useful to God. Father in heaven, help me to see the good works You are affecting in me through the storms, in Jesus’ name, Amen!
- Jeff Beall
