The Eye of the Storm

You've probably heard this phrase before - "the eye of the storm" - but, I'm not sure that we actually take it to heart as much as we should. We talk about the calm before the storm or the peace after the storm, but what about the actual storm itself?? What do we do when we're in the thick of everything and are just waiting it out? You come to the eye...

For a hurricane or tornado, there can be a middle to the storm that seems to be much calmer than the rest of the swirling disaster all around. Right in the middle, with destruction on the outside, the center of the storm seems to cease, almost as a brief respite for breathing. The rest of the storm will surge on, and you will eventually feel the second half; but, while you're in the eye, you have relief.

Occasionally, that relief can be mixed with fear. "I've already come through so much, and I don't think I can handle the rest," is a common sentiment when you're going through the storm. Just when you think that everything is over and you can get back to whatever form of normal you enjoy, your realize that you are only halfway through the battle of the storm.

As I sat and contemplated the storms of life, I was reminded of the beautiful text of Be Thou My Vision. The phrase, "High King of Heavy my victory won," seems to settle everything into place for me. No matter where I am in the storm, my High King has already won the victory for me. I don't deserve it, nor can I fully comprehend the idea that He would care about me, but He does. He has freely given His life so that I might have hope through the storm. Whether beginning, the eye, or the end, I have hope through my High King.

So, we sit in the storm; we are tossed about by the storm; we have wind and rain and cold biting at us through the storm; but, we are anchored in the storm. The eye provides a brief respite, but we hunker down to sit it out. And we wait. And He comforts.