Digging In: When the Storms of Life Come

Storms have a way of changing our perspective. Sometimes they arrive in the form of circumstances we never saw coming, leaving us wondering what God could possibly be doing in the middle of the chaos. In this week’s Digging In, HGBM Contributing Author Terra Kern shares the story of a literal storm that brought unexpected damage, unexpected provision, and a powerful reminder of God’s protection. More importantly, she explores what our spiritual storms can produce in us—and how walking through them can take our faith from “I believe” to “I KNOW.”

The Storms of Life

by HGBM Contributing Author, Terra Kern

It was a hot and sticky late afternoon on the Friday of the Fourth of July weekend. The forecast called for thunderstorms with some severe ones not only possible, but probable. Call me eccentric, but I absolutely love to watch summer thunderstorms come rolling in. The loud claps of rumbling thunder and flashes of lightening always remind me of the power of God. And being one of His own, I personally always find that comforting, as strange as that may sound.

So, as the sky began to darken with rolling thunder sounding far off, my husband and I went to sit under our covered front porch in our chairs and watch. As the wind picked up intensely, blowing through the tops of the lofty trees to the point of almost bowing them over, I noticed our small windmill by the pond wasn’t even moving. I also perceived complete silence. No birds chirping, no frogs croaking, no crickets, no nothing. I pointed out all of this to my husband and as we looked at the windmill, we saw the blades of the windmill begin to move very slowly, looking almost haunted. It was creepy for sure. Then suddenly, they began to spin faster than we had ever seen them spin before.

Simultaneously, sideways rain began pelting and soaking us, so we jumped up and ran into the garage’s open door. My husband ran straight to the back door of the garage to look at the trees in the back of the property. I had made it midway through and was just before the west-facing window when all of a sudden there was a deafening cracking sound. All I could see were green leaves rushing toward me through the window. I had no time to think, move, or even make a sound when I saw the wall just to the right of the window move! It bowed inward about a foot and a half then suddenly snapped back. My heart was beating harder and more accelerated than I ever recall it beating before. I think I was in a slight shock when my husband’s voice brought me out of it.

He shouted, “It smashed my truck!

It didn’t even register and I screamed, “The wall moved!”

“It smashed my truck!”

“The wall MOVED!”

“My Truck!”

His words finally penetrated into my stunned brain so I stepped up to the window. Through leaf-covered branches, I saw one of the neighbor’s towering trees had fallen on Bill’s truck parked beside the garage in the driveway leading back to the pole-barn. The tree had completely squashed it. It then continued dropping, landed on the roof, and plowed into side of the garage. Just then, the rain had lessened to just a bit heavier than a sprinkle, so we ventured outside to survey the damage.

It was then I saw the damage to the roof, fascia, and siding amid many broken branches while my husband went to inspect his truck. I was shocked at what I saw on the outside of the garage, then immediately ran back inside to look again. That’s when I noticed two holes in, and a gaping gouge down the garage wall. I didn’t spot those things before, because they were over, behind, and just under a cabinet hanging on the wall. Wait! Nothing in the cabinets fell over let alone moved. Nothing hanging from hooks on the wall fell! What? It was in that moment it clicked in my brain that something supernatural had occurred. I mean walls don’t just bow out with such force that holes are punched through them and then snap back with nothing being affected. That is not natural! And to top that off, I came to the realization that both of our lives had been miraculously spared!

Then, as I was standing there awestruck, I heard the voice of the Lord. He asked me a couple of questions. “Haven’t you been saying you needed a bigger and more powerful truck to pull your new camper? And haven’t you been saying it was time to replace the roof and get new siding?”

There was no need for me to answer. Goosebumps rose up all over me and I knew God was working in His wonderous, mysterious way. His timing is always perfect! I knew He had awesome plans for us and was answering our prayers His way, in His time.

We were quite confident that the insurance company would total the truck out, so Bill began a search to find a bigger more powerful replacement. It didn’t take him long to find what he had been dreaming of and at a reasonable price. The problem was we had to wait for the insurance process before we would receive a check. So, with my faith being strengthened even more from what God had spoken to me, I asked Him to hold the truck for us, and KNEW He would. And He did! We now own the truck of Bill’s dreams and are filled with great joy! This truck has even more bells and whistles than our old one including luxurious leather seats. To God be all the glory! As far as the roof and siding, it has not been all settled yet, but with my faith being built up even more, I KNOW it will also be a blessing.

In the same manner, when we are hit with storms in our lives, whether they are literal or whether they are spiritual, there is a distinct purpose for it. 1Peter 4:12 encourages us in this. – Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come upon you to test you, as though some strange thing has come upon you. And James 1:2-4 teaches – Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

And there we have it! As we go through many storms and come through to the other side more blessed than we were before, we learn more of God’s ways and get to know Him more. Our relationship becomes more personal—more intimate, and our faith grows stronger. We are brought into next level faith. Next level faith is a matured faith. We go from, I believe—help my unbelief, to I believe. Believing is hoping for something and waiting to see if it is so. Next level faith is beyond I believe—it is I KNOW. Oh, we may not know how God is going to do it—all of the ins and outs and specific details, because His ways are higher than our ways and thoughts higher than our thoughts. And He is able to do exceedingly abundantly more than we can even think to ask. But we KNOW that He will!

Therefore, when the storms of life come, let us be encouraged. Let us be like James recommends and count it all joy, knowing what awaits on the other side are blessings greater than anything we can even think up ourselves. And in acknowledging that God is leading us to a promotion in faith, a next level faith, a mature faith where we KNOW only good things await us.

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The storms of life may not always make sense while we’re standing in the middle of them. But they can teach us to trust God more deeply, to recognize His presence, and to develop a faith that doesn't depend on knowing every detail. As Terra reminds us, we may not know how God will work or when He will move—but we can know that He is faithful.

If you're walking through a storm right now, take heart. Your story isn't finished, and neither is God's work in you. Keep trusting. Keep growing. Keep walking forward in faith.

Read more from Terra Kern and discover her books in the Higher Ground Books & Media catalog.