Summer Storms

Summer afternoons can change quickly.

One moment, the sun is shining, children are playing in the yard, and laundry is fluttering on the clothesline. The next moment, dark clouds gather on the horizon. The wind begins to blow. Thunder rumbles in the distance.

Living in Michigan, we have learned to pay attention to the weather. Storms can bring heavy rain, hail, fallen trees, and power outages. Ignoring approaching danger is not wisdom.

Yet there is another danger that can be far less noticeable.

Sometimes, after experiencing a damaging storm, we begin watching the sky so closely that we forget to enjoy the sunshine.

Perhaps this happens in other areas of life as well.

A family experiences a financial hardship and spends years worrying about the next unexpected bill. A mother loses a pregnancy and finds herself anxious during every future pregnancy. A congregation experiences division and begins to expect conflict around every corner. A parent walks through a season of rebellion with one child and fears the same outcome for every child who follows.

The storm passes, but its memory remains.

The problem is not that we remember. It’s wise to remember. We learn from experience to pay attention so that storms don’t catch us off guard. Scripture calls us to vigilance as well.

“A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself;
The simple pass on and are punished” (Proverbs 27:12, NKJV).

The problem comes when yesterday’s storms steal today’s sunshine.

Yeshua told His disciples not to worry about tomorrow because tomorrow would bring its own concerns (Matthew 6:34). He did not promise that difficulties would never come. He simply reminded them that their Heavenly Father was already aware of their needs.

Many of us live in the middle, caught between gratitude and worry. We know enough about life to recognize that things can go wrong. We have seen storms. We have buried loved ones. We have prayed through frightening diagnoses. We have watched prodigals wander. We have sat in hospital rooms and waiting rooms.

Because of this, we may find ourselves scanning the horizon even when the sky above us is blue.

Yet perhaps a better question is this:

What is true right now?

• Right now, is the sun shining?
• Right now, is your family gathered around the dinner table?
• Right now, are children laughing in the backyard?
• Right now, do you have food in your pantry and breath in your lungs?
• Right now, has Yehovah provided what you need for today?

The answer may not always be yes. Some days truly are stormy. Some seasons are marked by grief, uncertainty, or hardship.

But when the answer is yes, we should not rush past the gift of sunshine over our heads. The Scripture repeatedly calls us to give thanks. Gratitude does not deny that storms exist. Gratitude simply recognizes that every good gift comes from the hand of our Father.

The summer sun will not shine forever. Eventually, the clouds will gather again, because that is part of life in a fallen world. But when the sky is clear, let us enjoy it.

• Sit on the porch.
• Watch the sunset.
• Listen to the birds.
• Share a meal with people you love.
• Thank Yehovah for ordinary blessings.

When the next storm hits—and storms always do—you’ll face it better, not as someone who overlooked the sunny days, but as someone who was truly thankful for them.

After all, every sunny day is a gift.