Devotionals for the Heart: When the storms of life are actually a gift for us

The Gift of a Storm
A devotional by Karen Marstaller

“And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

—Matthew 28:20b (ESV)

All of us go through storms in life.

Some are physical storms—a rogue wildfire burns everything for miles, a tornado boils up from a thunderstorm, or a hurricane makes landfall days after it first came on the scene. Then there are sprained ankles right before a big game, or a sports season-ending tear in one of the tendons that knocks us flat and makes us sit on the sidelines while we watch others stay in the game and succeed.

There are also emotional storms—the coulda, woulda, shoulda storms over experiences that have hurt us and others, too. Guilt carries its own toll of pain and suffering that we tend to lodge deep within our hearts, sometimes forever.

Storms of life mark our time here on Earth with stress and distress. That’s the bad news. But the good news is that Jesus Christ has given all His children a precious gift—the Holy Spirit. And because of this priceless gift, we never have to face even a single one of life’s storms all alone.

One of the promises God gave concerning Jesus, the longed-for Messiah, is a name that characterizes who Jesus is—Immanuel. His name means “God with us”, according to Matthew 1:23 (ESV). The Holy Spirit, given to us by Christ, stands beside us through every turmoil, every disaster, every heartache in life. He is our Comforter who always provides peace on our often painful journeys.

But it’s hard, isn’t it? When a spouse walks away, or a family loses a child, or a parent receives an ominous “stage four” diagnosis, or maybe a season of utter despair and loneliness descends, there is still hope. Jesus, Immanuel, is with us.

During a recent storm of destructive tornadoes in our area, one of my friends in the path of the twister didn’t answer my texts. Rationalizing kicked in—maybe she was on vacation, maybe her family was visiting. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. But several hours later, she texted back. All day long, she’d been out in her neighborhood helping people she knew, along with complete strangers, who had suffered loss. All in the name of Jesus.

And that’s one of the most beautiful things about being God’s children, members of His eternal family. He allows us to be His hands and feet. My friend, led by God’s gentle Spirit, was out ministering to people who needed some help. Many of her friends had no idea where she was, but the Lord certainly did. He had to be smiling as He watched His lovely daughter doing what He does—pick up the broken pieces of life.

We who believe in Jesus have been given hearts of compassion and understanding. He gives helpful hands to meet the needs around us. With His Holy Spirit’s help, we can continue to follow our Savior in His work on Earth. And no matter what the storm is that boils around us, we can remain peaceful. With our eyes fixed on Jesus, the “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6), we can serve others with love and kindness, and we can point all who are hurting to the One who gives each one of us eternal hope in Jesus. All we have to do is ask Him for it.

Let’s Pray: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your tender care of us. Thank You for sending Your Holy Spirit to lead and guide us. Please give us eyes to see and ears to hear the anguished cries of our sisters and brothers who are hurting from the pain of life’s storms. And please help us to minister to them and to point them to Your Son, Jesus Christ. It is in His precious name that we pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: "Praise You In This Storm" by Casting Crowns. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Karen Marstaller is a retired high school teacher who spent most of her career challenging creative students to write. Her heart is for her readers. 

She writes to encourage them, to make them laugh, to show them that life is a beautiful journey, and regardless of their past, to show them that there is joy ahead if they will just keep looking.

Karen and her husband live in central Texas in a sweet little home that they completely remodeled. They enjoy spending time with their family, which includes seven precious grandchildren.

Most of all, Karen writes in obedience to the command to love your neighbor, to offer a cup of water to those who are dying of thirst, and to comfort others with the comfort she has received.

You can reach Karen by emailing her at this address: klmarstaller@gmail.com