Hope in the Storm

God has provided for us the strength and the wisdom in order to navigate the adversity that we may encounter; and our resolve can be apparent to those around us. Proverbs 24 offers some preparation for the spiritual battles we encounter:
6 For by wise counsel you will wage your own war, And in a multitude of counselors there is safety.
7 Wisdom is too lofty for a fool; He does not open his mouth in the gate.
8 He who plots to do evil Will be called a schemer.
9 The devising of foolishness is sin, And the scoffer is an abomination to men.
10 If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small.

When we feel helpless or overcome, we can have the assurance that Jesus Christ walks with us.  He provides us with strength when we are weak; as Paul wrote in 2nd Corinthians chapter 12, His grace is sufficient.  Human strength is frail when compared to the mighty resources of God, but in order to experience them, we have to deny ourselves and follow Him.  We must renounce self-dependence and depend on the One who endured great suffering so we could come to know Him.

+++++

When the trial comes, when circumstances change for the worse, not the better, we can rely on the presence of the Lord. 1st Peter chapter 4 states:
12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;
13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.
15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters.
16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.

Throughout the Faith Radio coverage area, we have seen within the past few months storms that have caused widespread loss of property - and life.  We can continue to remember that there is a long-term process of rebuilding that continues in communities in the Faith Radio coverage area such as northern Autauga County, Selma, Flatwood in Montgomery, and other areas, restoring not only houses and buildings, but the pain that comes through lives and property that have been loss, the displacement that people face, and the uncertainty of the future that can be addressed through Christ. 

Perhaps the news of what has occurred in the midst of and aftermath of deadly storms has been brought to you by those who work in the media.  Local, regional, and national meteorologists do a tremendous job in tracking storms and offering life-saving information.  And, I have seen instances lately of those who work in that field who have shown a personal side, even a faith side when confronted with these events.

Exhibit A comes from the state of Mississippi, which experienced heavy damage by tornadoes in late March.  Faithwire reported on Chief Meteorologist Matt Laubhan of WTVA-TV, who, according to the article, published on March 31...

...described coming across an article from the Storm Prediction Center leading up to last Friday’s devastating Mississippi tornados — a paper that gave him benchmarks to better understand the potential severity of Friday’s storm.

“I’ve tracked hundreds of tornadoes,” he said, noting he “almost never” faces the level of stress he did Friday night, when he saw the warning signs from that paper playing out in real-time and felt prompted to pray on air.

“[I’ve] always taught [my] kids that prayer does not need to be like a pharisee, this long, elaborate [invocation],” Laubhan said. “If you have something in your heart, say it. God understands it.”

Video of the prayer went viral, and Laubhan stated, “It was authentic...It did not come from me. I did not intend to pray. I’m not gonna say I thought in my head, ‘Don’t ever pray,’ but I also never intended to do it. So, I do think that it just kind of came bursting out and that it came in a situation where so many people were hurt and killed.”

Exhibit B comes from someone known as a "storm chaser." His name is Jonny Gabel.  Again, the Faithwire website reported:

Jonny Gabel, who has been chasing storms for the past five years, described a harrowing ordeal when he helped pull family in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, out of the rubble.

Now, Gabel told People he’s planning to help the family members rebuild their decimated home.

“Their home is completely destroyed,” he wrote in a GoFundMe. “100% of the funds will be used to help them or help other victims affected by tornados. The funds will be used to build them a new house (if insurance doesn’t cover it, or if there’s some sort of financial obstacle) or the funds will be used to get them into a new home as soon as possible.”

The article continues:

Gabel told People how he and others decided to shift into rescue mode Friday after initially chasing the storm, heading to hard-hit Rolling Fork to help pull people from the rubble.

He recalled hearing someone yell, “I need help! Help! Please come help me!” So, he went over to the house from which the screams were coming and discovered an elderly woman sitting up in her bed, surrounded by devastation.

Gabel is quoted by People magazine: “I just said, ‘Thank God you all survived. This is kind of a miracle...Because just a hundred yards away, the Dollar General was just completely destroyed.” 

The People article also relates that Gabel pulled people out of that Dollar General store.  He is quoted in the article as saying: 

"I'm the one who isn't afraid to light up the darkness. I've existed in darkness for half of my life," Gabel explains. "I don't live in it anymore, but I'm not afraid to be in it. So I'm the one who stands up in the darkness and holds the light up, so others aren't so scared. That's what I have to offer to this world."

He is described as "neurodivergent" and "has complex PTSD."

Here are two gentlemen who are involved in covering weather, and have each, in their unique way, helped people to weather the storms in their lives.  This is an indication of how each of us can consider how we can be bringers of hope to those who are in need.  As Jonny Gable said, "I'm the one who stands up in the darkness and holds the light up..."  We can consider how Jesus would use us to shine His light into dark circumstances.

We can also consider how we can be prepared to respond when the tough times come, when the darkness hits. And, it's been said that when pressure comes, what's truly inside will flow out.  So, adversity can be an indicator of how well-trained we are in the Lord, how our hearts are united with Christ, so that when we encounter pressure - and we will - the presence and wisdom of Christ will be seen.