Peace in My Storm

While in a deep, peaceful sleep shortly after midnight a couple of years ago, a blaring tornado alarm and a message saying to take cover startled me awake. My home was shaking and I heard howling winds and debris hitting the windows so I ran to my bathroom to take cover. I knelt on the floor and prayed for protection and peace as I waited for the EF-3 tornado to pass. Even with the thunderous winds intensifying, a calming peace overtook me.

As I continued to kneel on the bathroom floor, I remembered a rainstorm-induced flood that I survived in the city several years prior. Our neighborhood was evacuated as rising floodwaters quickly approached our area. Throughout the evacuation, God gave me peace by whispering to my spirit that His presence was with me, so I did not need to be afraid.

"My Spirit remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt. So do not be afraid" (Haggai 2:5 NLT).

Through the prophet Haggai, God reminded the people that His Spirit was with them—just as His Spirit was with them in the past when they came out of Egypt. God referenced His past record, indicating His current ability to perform a miracle while providing peace. He let them know they had no reason to fear because of His presence and ability.

Similarly, God brought me out of the local flood before and He was reminding me that He would also bring me out of the tornado, so I did not need to be afraid. Sometimes in our lives we face physical storms and sometimes we face spiritual storms. No matter the storm, if we are children of God, He is with us during any storm we face.

Exodus 29:46 states,

"And they will know that I am the LORD their God. I am the one who brought them out of the land of Egypt so that I could live among them. I am the LORD their God."

When God’s presence lives with us, we can walk in faith and in peace knowing that His Holy Spirit guides us. As the psalmist said in Psalm 51:11-12, may our prayer also be,

"Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me."

Prayer: God, I am facing storms and trials in my life that threaten my peace. I choose to trust that Your presence is with Your children, and I ask for peace as You walk with me through my storms. I trust you, Lord. In Jesus’s name, amen.

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Scripture is quoted from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.