4:00am flashes onto the screen of my phone, accompanied by the gentle sounds of a classical tune to wake me for the day. It doesn’t take more than that to get me up because today, my husband and I will be setting out on a journey we’ve been excitingly preparing ourselves for.
As we set for the road, a couple of hours pass and we begin seeing the beautiful sights we were so unfamiliar with, even though we spent the majority of our lives growing up nearby. By now, the sun is starting to peak over the mountains and stretch across the vast sky. Our attention is quickly drawn to the light reflecting off the dark storm clouds that cover the earth as far as we can see. The way that the light bends off the many shapes defined through weight and depth is breathtaking. It highlights the bright green fields and shimmering streams we pass and is one of the most beautiful landscapes I’ve ever seen.
Too often, I view the storms in my life as devastating, exhausting, inconvenient… you name it. Can you relate? Not that it’s wrong to think of them that way, but how often do these storms actually benefit us in the long run? If you asked me a few years ago, I would’ve said never. As I’ve worked on my relationship with God the past few years, my perspective on this has change. As illustrated in the previous paragraphs, I’ve noticed that the storms in my life beautify the rest of it. A couple of days being knocked down with a cold help me to appreciate the health I normally do have. Struggles with self-esteem adjust my focus to instead be on my Savior, relying on Him to help me grow, thus improving myself and my relationship with Him. Arguments with my husband turn to opportunities of humbling myself, working on strengthening our communication skills, and practicing acts of selflessness. These are just a few among many examples.
I know that because of the storms I have to go through, my life is more beautiful. That isn’t to say that every struggle we need to endure is going to be easy or enjoyable, but I believe that there is a good outcome to every single storm we encounter. Another way I like to see it is picturing a diamond. Depending on the background, a diamond can appear more stunning if in front of something dark. The beauty of the diamond is highlighted when placed on a contrasting background.
How can you benefit from some of the storms in your life that are either currently happening or reoccurring? What can you do to help change your perspective on ones that may be just around the corner?
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