The Storm

Picture yourself walking through a storm. It's raining, and you are soaked to the skin. It's windy and cold, and you are lost. You aren't sure how much longer this storm will last. It's dark, and you are alone.

Now imagine the sun beginning to rise. The rain slows, and the wind dies down. As the temperature finally begins to increase, you see a group of people coming towards you. They have been looking for you all night! They take you somewhere warm and give you some dry clothes. Soon you are back in your own home, comfortable and happy.

A few nights later, there is another storm, and you hear an urgent knock on your door. When you open it, the person on the other side tells you that your neighbor is missing, and invites you to join the search party. Remembering how much it meant to you when you were rescued, you agree without hesitation.

Now you are once again wandering through a storm in the middle of the night, but this time there is a clear purpose, and your suffering is less. It's still raining, still dark, and still cold. But you aren't alone, and you aren't lost. You are there to help another person make it through the storm.

When we walk through storms in life, we become stronger. When we have a clear purpose in mind, our discomforts are diminished.

Every storm stops. Every night explodes into sunrise. Every life matters, including yours.

Remember these truths the next time you find yourself walking through a storm.