storms

Do not be disappointed

by mercy.

Would you rather have a storm?

So often the threat of storms in our lives comes, and even people who haven't prayed for awhile find themselves praying and asking for mercy. That it would pass. That it wouldn't last so long. That it wouldn't be so severe. That we would just make it through.

Completely powerless in the end against what will happen, we wait. Yes, we prepare and brace and choose wisely. But we cannot control the storms of life. So we wait.

Knowing all to well the destruction one storm can leave in its wake, we wait hunkered down. Knowing all to well the ache of loss, we go to our safe space. Knowing the possible days and months of sorting through and cleaning up, we wait.

And sometimes the storm passes right on by. Even though conditions were right for disaster. Sometimes it doesn't last very long. Even though it could have. Sometimes it isn't so severe. Even though it could have been. And was in the past.

Would you be disappointed if you were spared?

And I'll ask this very tenderly but directly... Would you laugh in the face of mercy? Would you taunt grace?

The storm was there. The conditions were ripe for disaster. But you were spared.

Oh, you saw it coming. Literally. You could feel the dark pressing in. You knew the foreboding of the calm before the storm. Then the roar started. But it left without havoc. Glory!

Just because we do not experience the consequences of the storms of life, does not mean they are to be taken for granted or taunted. Laughter and jest can sometimes be a mask to cover the fear of being out of control. We are not in control.

And hear this loudly, sometimes the storms of life come entirely outside of the consequences of our own choices. Just because there is a storm, does not mean you have done something wrong. But then there are times I bring the storms on myself and they are the consequences of what I have done. And let me warn us all (myself included), that just because the consequences and the storm that comes on your life are lessened, it does not mean that we should persist in our course of action. To be caught, when the stakes are high, but the storm leaves without disaster...this is mercy. Glory! Not to be taunted. Not to shake our fist at the storm to, "bring it!" But to revel in mercy. And realize the impact of our choices...and yet that we cannot control the devastation of the storm if it comes again.

We are not in control. And do not be disappointed by mercy. Oh, please, do not be disappointed by mercy.