The Storm

Storm Eunice hit. Storm Eunice hit the British Isles on Friday 18th February bringing record-breaking winds, sails of rain and untold damage to many places.

Whilst walking on Saturday morning in a local park, I was able to witness the aftermath as I saw many downed trees, small branches and twigs strewn and tossed without care; laid like fallen soldiers, in a myriad of vein-like patterns upon the unrelenting turf. Mother Nature had bared her teeth.

With echoes of the whirling wind around me, I walked on. As I surveyed the sights before me, one thing in particular caught my attention. It was a broken tree trunk that looked as though it were a mere tooth pick snapped in half. Eunice had rended and ripped the tree at its very core and it now lay exposed to the subsequent elements.

This made me think, why this tree? Why was this tree felled by the mighty Eunice and not others? As I drew nearer, seeking answers from the wood, I observed that the tree did not look as strong and robust as first thought; upon closer inspection, the wood seemed brittle and splintered easily.

I pondered on what the practical application could be. Studying the sharp splinters, I considered the following.

Along this journey that each of us is on called life, we will encounter storms. Storms show up in different ways: physical health conditions, illnesses of both the mind and the body. Family and financial problems; relationship issues. The list could go on. When a storm shows up, oftentimes, it will not only do foreseen damage, but unforeseen damage too.

What it most certainly will do is expose what we are made of.

What makes one person stand strong when the storms hit and others fall by even the slightest gust? How can you withstand the storms of life so that your life is not felled by them?

There are a few key ways to develop your core strength and although some form of exercise is vital, I’m not talking here about your physical core strength; I am speaking about your mental and emotional resilience. Ah yes, that buzzword again that seems to be on everyone’s lips these days! Resilience- elusive as a golden unicorn, it would appear, but is actually attainable.

How does one not only cope when the storms hit, but is actually able to ride out a storm?

In my humble opinion and experience, it is not by trusting in yourself, your resources or your intellect. It is by trusting in the Creator. The One who can keep your mind in ‘perfect peace’ when all around is chaos.

Resilience is developed by going through enough ‘storm’ experiences and seeing how God shows up time after time and carries you through. You can trust that dependability. You become assured and confident that the One who still holds this world in His hands, also holds you.

I don’t know about you, but when I consider the damage storms can do to a landscape, I really do not want that for my actual life. I don’t want myself exposed to the elements all battered, brittle and broken. Do you?

Allow your loving Creator to come into your life now and strengthen you from within, building that resilience, so that when the storms of life hit (and they will) you will not be felled by your feelings, negated by your negative mindset or annihilated by your actions.

Isaiah 26:3 promises, ‘ You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.’

Try God and you will see and know that you can trust Him.

Until next time.

Love & Blessings

Be sure to check out next month’s post which will be on how you can escape from narcissists!