prepare for the storm

The past few days have brought us a lot of thunderstorms, including a nearby tornado. Yesterday morning after a particularly rough overnight storm, we found a large tree branch in the back yard. We really don't know where it came from. It was blown in. Storms come in the natural world. We have no control over when they come. All we can do is be prepared and seek safety. My husband prepares for storms and emergencies. He has an emergency backpack of supplies and makes sure it is always ready even when there are no storms in the area.  He stays prepared. We know we will have some basic supplies if we ever need them.

Spiritually, we also have storms that arise. We cannot control them, but we can be prepared spiritually to face the storms. We need to be ready even when there is no storm, when all seems right and in our favor.  We still need to be on watch and ready to face a storm. Storms come when we least expect them.
We need to be be on guard and prepared to face situations that may seem to flood over us and overwhelm our soul. We are going to face trials and storms. In this life, we are guaranteed troubles. These struggles come as part of life, but we do not have to be spiritually blindsided. We can be prepared.

Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
1 Thessalonians 5:6 KJV

When we keep ourselves in a position of drawing closer to God with prayer, study and relationship, we are keeping ourselves in a state of readiness. We will know that in a moment's notice,  we can call on our heavenly Father as a storm begins to brew and blow in our lives. God is ready to hear our prayer and will stand up for us.

So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.
Isaiah 59:19 KJV

We know we can run to Him and find safety, protection and strength to face any storm that comes our way.

The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
Proverbs 18:10 KJV

His Word is full of promises for us to find strength and in which we can take refuge. We can trust Him through every storm and trial because we have prepared ourselves even when life seemed good and free of struggle. We cannot always lean back and coast along.  We must spend some time in preparation for rough times.
I recall scenes of people boarding up windows and packing sandbags when hurricanes were being predicted to hit coastal areas. They were preparing days in advance. They did not wait till the hurricane was already blowing and flooding their homes and businesses. They were preparing. This did not divert the storm, nor did it keep the storm from causing great struggle and difficulty, but in many cases, it helped them endure and maintain a standing structure.

We will not be able to stand through some of our storms without preparation. We are not strong enough on our own. We need God to bear us up. We need Godly brothers and sisters standing with us in prayer and in faith. We need God and God alone to get through some of the rough storms that blow our way.

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Romans 15:13 KJV

We can place our hope in Jesus and know that He will be our peace and our safety to go through every storm and trial. We can build this faith and hope during the good times and the blessings so we can still be standing as the storm blows and brings with it the struggle.
We may need to rebuild some and make a few repairs, but we will know that God carried us through and we are still able to stand and say that He is our strong tower. We will still be praising because He gave us strength. We will still know that He is God  and we have peace in the midst of any storm.  We can prepare to face what comes our way when we have God as our place of refuge and strength. Are you ready to face the storm?