The storms that marched across the southeast on Wednesday and Thursday left behind a trail of damage, destruction, and devastation that will take weeks, if not months, to fully assess. In communities from Mississippi to Virginia we have seen images of homes and businesses reduced to rubble, trees snapped in two, and cars and trucks covered with debris and left crumpled in ditches, fields, and even on top of one another.
If the storms had only damaged property, the cost would be significant; but the storms took an even greater toll—the loss of human life. The expanse and the degree of the destruction are making it difficult to know how many people have been killed. With each passing day the death toll continues to rise. Emergency workers are spending their time these first few days going from house, searching for survivors, and leaving their report in spray paint on whatever is left standing.
It will take quite some time to account for all those who are missing. Few are willing to even guess what the costs may be for the property damage. And yet, in the midst of this immense catastrophe there has been a recurring affirmation of faith.
As the news crews have put a microphone in front of survivors, one after another has testified that even though they have lost their home or business; they are thankful that God has brought them through the storm, and they affirm their faith that God will continue to bless them as they work to recover and rebuild.
These testimonies reminded me of a song made popular a few years ago by the contemporary Christian band, Casting Crowns, called “Praise You in this Storm.” Reflect on these words from the chorus: “And I'll praise you in this storm / and I will lift my hands / for You are who You are / no matter where I am / and every tear I've cried / You hold in your hand. / You never left my side / and though my heart is torn / I will praise You in this storm.”
Some people find it difficult to believe they are blessed even when things are going pretty well for them. As you begin to discover the new life you have in Christ, you learn that the reality of being blessed by God is not determined by your circumstances. Even when the thunder rolls, the storm is shaking the foundations of the earth, and the wind is blowing away everything you worked a lifetime to build; the voice of God whispers, “I am with you!”
That may be the moment when you truly understand what it means to be blessed.
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