“Where’s Guinness,” my husband asks.
“Hiding I’m sure. He’s scared of storms,” I reply handing him the kid’s lunchboxes. “You know that dog, I’m sure he is hiding under Rachel’s bed.”
Minutes later my husband and kids head out the door to school and work. I pour a cup of freshly brewed liquid mercy and pad upstairs to my red chair. Raindrops pelt the windows with fierce intensity. I look out over the lake, but it is too dark to see. In the distance, thunder booms. “The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.” (Psalm 29:3) Savoring the hazelnut aroma, I close my eyes and sit in silence before the Lord.
I open my eyes to see a pair of soft brown eyes staring up at me, silently begging to be held. “Oh Kinsey,” I coo in her ear. She curls up close, lets out an exasperated sigh, and drifts to sleep.
I watch her rib cage expand and contract to the rhythm of her breathing. I smile at the thought of our two Jack Russell Terriers with opposite responses to the same storm. Guinness, the stout dog-hence the name, with the brown patch on his eye, hides in isolation and darkness during a storm. Kinsey, our runt of the litter Jack Russell Terrier, seeks reassurance and refuge next to her master in a storm.
I stood, careful not to disturb Kinsey and padded into the kitchen to refill my mug. Not wanting to be leave her Master’s side, Kinsey followed. Returning to my red chair, Kinsey sensed her master’s direction, ran ahead of me, and jumped on the cushion. I laughed.
Continuing my quiet time with the Lord (and Kinsey) I pondered these verses:
“He guards the lives of his faithful ones” (Psalm 97:10)
“But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.”(Psalm 59:16)
Through different surprise storms of life, I have responded in the same manner as Guinness and Kinsey. I hid my face from God and resorted to isolation, when I suffered a miscarriage, and I begged God to hold me up during my battle with post-partum depression.
In my current storm, I have great peace. Waves of uncertainty threaten to crash over me. I am anchored (Hebrews 6:19) to the one who created the sea (Genesis 1:9), and calms the sea with the sound of His voice (Matthew 8:26).
What was the last storm you weathered? How did you respond? When surprised by unexpected storms, we can respond by hiding in isolation and self-sufficiency, or by seeking refuge from our Heavenly Father. I’ve done both and only one response brings peace.
Seeking refuge in Christ alone,
~April Dawn White
*All Scripture is NIV from Bible Gateway. *Images courtesy of author & Pixabay.
© 2016 April Dawn White, All rights reserved