"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,
shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
- Philippians 4:7

I remember, very well, the night that I awoke to the TV weatherman saying, "A tornado is headed straight for you...take cover immediately!"

It was spring, a few years ago, when an F4 (really bad!) tornado ripped through my small town of less than 2,700 "neighbors."  It caused widespread damage, destroying many homes and businesses.  A line of debris could be seen for miles as the twister dealt its blow to the area.

What many people find amazing about tornados is the calm immediately before the storm hits.  It baffles the mind that only seconds before a devastating natural disaster strikes, there is a stillness and quietness that flows like the waters of a gentle creek.  A strange and unexplainable peace settles in.  

And then, the storm lashes out like a snake striking at its victim!  It rips and mangles and destroys...

...and as quickly as it began, it is over.

You know, we all face storms in our lives.  Not all of them are the natural disasters like the one my hometown faced.  Storms come in many shapes and sizes.  Sometimes these storms of life come in the form of divorce, much like the tornado...ripping and destroying until all that is left is a hollow, battered shell of what used to be.  Other times the storms come in the form of illness, much like a hurricane, beating and pounding and continuing on and on, seemingly never ending.  Still other times the storms of life come as financial burdens, much like a summer thunderstorm with heavy downpour and lightning and high winds...it may not kill you, but it sure makes things uncomfortable.  

And often, the storms strike quickly, without warning...you don't even see them coming.

Like I said, many people find it amazing that there is a calm before the storms.  You know, what is even more amazing is the calm that Christians can have DURING the storm!

You see, if you know Jesus Christ, there is no need to fear the howling winds around you.  Though the ground shift beneath us and the walls crumble about us...we have a rock and a refuge in the Lord...and nothing can shake that! 

When we turn over those problems, fears and worries to Jesus...there is a stillness and quietness that flows in our hearts, like the waters of a gentle creek.  A strange and unexplainable peace settles in, a peace that passes all understanding.

My friend, I don't know what you are facing today...but Jesus does.  Whatever storm is raging around you this morning, know that you have a great and mighty fortress in the Lord.  Even if it seems too much to bear, even if it seems to difficult to endure...stand firm on the promise of God.

Oh, God doesn't promise to always calm the storms in the lives of His Children...