Encouragement

---

Ding, ding, ding. We were enjoying that most unique sound. No, we weren’t riding the trolley from Meet Me in St. Louis. Nor were we running for the ice cream truck or answering Avon’s call. We were striking rocks with little hammers—hence the “unique” sound. We were at Ringing Rocks Park in Bucks County, Pa., when the storm struck us.

We were enjoying a pleasant summer day, when it quickly became dark. We knew a storm was coming, and when the raindrops started to strike our heads, we struck out for the car.

Thunder crashed around us as our plans for a pleasant day also crashed around us. We had three choices: (1) sit in the car under the trees and hope the storm subsides soon and trees don’t fall on us, (2) drive south and try to outrun those dark gray chariots or (3) head home directly through the storm. We chose #3, believing it would keep us in the downpour for the shortest amount of time. We were going to head straight for the end of the tempest.

One of my favorite songs is Mosie Lister’s Till the Storm Passes By. All of the words are wonderfully simple and heartening, but I will just quote the chorus:

Till the storm passes over, till the thunder sounds no more,
Till the clouds roll forever from the sky;
Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand,
Keep me safe till the storm passes by.

Loneliness can be a frightening thing. When we are lonely, we are living in our own strength. Facing the troubles of life is not easy when you are lonesome, whether surrounded by family, friends, or foreboding silence. Each peal of thunder not only fails to drown out the cries of loneliness—it amplifies them.

It’s comforting to have someone to walk with when the raindrops start falling. My wife relied on me for wisdom when we saw the storm coming. We need to rely on someone when darkness rolls in.

Till the Storm Passes By echoes the promise of God to Israel in Isaiah 43:2: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you” (NKJV). This assurance came in the midst of threatening clouds of judgment. It was the proverbial silver lining that the people could look for when the tempest came.

The best part of the promise was that God not only said they would make it through, but that He would go with them! There was no fear of loneliness!

Proverbs 14:10 says, “Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy”. Intimate though we may be with another person, there are joys, sorrows, and circumstances we can only face alone. The doctor won’t operate on you and your spouse together. No one serves prison time with a friend. As much as you’d love to change places with your sick child, you can’t. When you are rejected by men, you cannot cut the pain in half and give it to someone else to bear.

As discouraging as that sounds, it is not entirely true for the child of God. Listen to the words of Jesus: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). We promise our loved ones that we will stick by them, but we can’t always be there. Not so with Jesus. He is with us always!

“But no one knows what I’m passing through!” you might cry. Take comfort in Hebrews 4:15: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.” Trials are fertile breeding grounds for sinful responses. Jesus knows that and has proclaimed victory for us: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Holding hands is one of the most intimate forms of communication. It says, “I care enough to identify with you—we walk together.” Listen to King David: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me” (Psalm 23:4, KJV). Only God can walk that loneliest of paths with you: “For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’” (Isaiah 41:13).

The Christian need never fear the cumulonimbus clouds that inevitably darken our days. Retreating from storms only makes them longer. Standing still in fear gets you nowhere, but gets you wet. In faith, we can face the gales head on and walk through them, knowing that God in Christ is not only cheering us on, but walking through the trials with us.

We drove through that storm, dodging fallen branches on a winding road where we could barely see ahead. Retreating would have lost us time and increased our distance. We got through more quickly than those who waited on the side of the road. When the way is dark and noisy and scary and lonely, may the promises of God’s presence ring loudly in your heart.

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE