Peace After The Storm

To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory.

Isaiah 61:3

“AFTER THE STORM, peace.” Isn’t that something many people say about the storms of life? We all know that storms won’t last forever, even devastating hurricanes. Afterward, we all climb out of our shelters and start to rebuild. Sometimes the blessings that follow in the quiet of new life are overwhelming.

One man reported how he worked with a family that had lost their house in New Orleans to Hurricane Katrina. These Christians, though devastated, spoke of how God had blessed them through it. “It brought me and Joe closer together,” the wife said. “We feel like a team again.” “We saw how much Mom and Dad loved each other,” one of their daughters said. And their son shared, “I lost my football, but now I have a better one, signed by one of the New Orleans Saints.”

God promises to bring that peace after the storms in our lives. It might not come the moment the storm ends. The storms might leave us a little bewildered for a time. But as we get back in touch with God, he promises to restore it all.