We are in the middle of a polar storm. Of our 52 states, 40 of the states -*are said to have people affected and suffering because of the snow and cold. And I am sure you are well aware we are among those lucky 40, right in the heart of a remarkably persistent mix of snow and extreme cold.
Because a storm is uncomfortable, many people think that the arrival of a storm, something destructive in nature, signifies God’s judgment. It means we have displeased Him, and the storm is God’s wrath or judgment.
I’m not in that camp. While God has the power and the authority to do anything He wishes, He normally does not work this way. Think about the very beginning. Adam and Eve had it made. They were living in the Garden of Eden, the only place that ever had the perfect environment. You know how when you go someplace for vacation you pray for the weather to be good on most days? Well, they never had to pray for that. Every day they awakened to a perfectly beautiful day. The sun was shining, but not too hot. The breeze was beautiful. They enjoyed perfect weather round the clock because Adam and Eve were living in a perfect environment, just the way God had planned it.
But when Adam and Eve decided to trust the Serpent, Satan, instead of God, sin entered the world. From the beginning, sin destroys what is perfect. When sin entered the world, it was like a person’s eardrum bursting. The person seems absolutely normal when you simply look at them. He or she looks perfectly fine, as if nothing at all had happened, but because of the eardrum burst, their equilibrium is damaged. When they try to walk or move, they will soon discover life doesn’t work the way it used to. Their body is out of balance
I believe that is what happened in the universe, the cosmic world. We are – all of us – born into a broken world. The world does not function as God intended. And we as individuals do not naturally function as intended either. Our eardrums have burst as well.
But the storm also reminds us of how powerful God is. He is the One who is ultimately in control. And He wants to help you. You can manage the storms if you work with Him and prepare for them.
Storms are predictable. Prepare for them. Jesus gave us the lifetime forecast: “In this world you will have trials, tribulations, difficulties, and storms. But take courage. I have overcome the world.”