The Beauty of Storms

I don't just wish you rain, I wish you the beauty of storms ~John Geddes

I like rain. Some of my most productive days are those days when my office window is open, and I can hear the rhythm of rain falling over the trees outside. It's brings a peaceful feeling and a sense of calm that fuels creativity. 

I can't say I'm a big fan of storms, but they do hold a rare beauty of their own. It may be hard to see, especially if you are afraid of storms, but the beauty is there if you look beyond the dark clouds. One thing that always stood out to me when watching a storm is how powerful they are. We live in a time when technology has made great advances, but has anyone ever been able to stop a storm in its tracks? 

Storms are a reminder of how little control we have over the natural world. Storms should remind us of the power of God and how he is in full control of our universe. 

Natural storms and personal storms are similar

• They can arrive suddenly with little warning
• They bring darkness, uncertainty, and a sense of foreboding disaster
• They do not last forever
• At times they bring destruction and devastation requiring clean up 
• We have no control over them
• Sometimes they are followed by rainbows 

What lessons can we learn from storms? 

Nature's storms are a lot like the storms of life. It may be difficult to see anything but darkness, fear, and a foreboding sense of doom when we are faced with sudden and unexpected circumstances. Broken relationships, a health crisis, unemployment, and financial hardships can strike with no warning. They can leave behind a trail of destruction. Sometimes we have no control over them. Of course, there are exceptions. We can make choices that bring dire consequences, but often we are hit with unexpected things that are not any fault of our own. 


Thankfully, storms pass in time. They don't last forever. Some of the darkest moments of our lives happen just before we experience a breakthrough to better things.  It can be difficult to see any good in our personal storms when we are in the midst of them, but we can find comfort in knowing they will eventually end.  

Even if we are left with a long trail of devastation, requiring massive amounts of clean up, we can find renewed strength as we begin to rebuild our lives. New things begin to develop that would not have been possible previously. We learn and grow as survivors of storms.  

A brilliant "rainbow" may appear to remind us there is beauty to be found, even after the worst of life's storms. Never stop watching for your rainbow. God has a purpose and a plan for all things. Trust Him.