Fearlessly Courageous
Desk of Dennis Piller
6/4/2021
The Season of The Perfect Storm
I’m sorry for a week off our morning devotionals but my entire family came down with Covid including my 95-year-old mom who recently came to live with us. I’ve been in the hospital fighting Covid and pneumonia for the last week. But I am improving. My wife Dyan brought my 95-year-old mother in for observation and discovered Dyan had some type of irregular heartbeat from her contact with Covid and they kept her overnight also. So our whole household has been down with Covid.
To make matters worse our 18-year-old is supposed to be in cap and gown tonight receiving her diploma but because of Covid will not be able to make that walk. As a parent, it’s pretty heartbreaking.
As parents, we understand how you wanna save your family, protect them and guide them through the pressures of the world. And then this perfect storm comes along that you can’t control and although you know it’s beyond your capacities you still feel responsible. As a "fix it" dad you discover you can’t fix your family or even help your 95-year-old mom. You have to trust in God.
A Perfect Storm – generates these swirling massive demands of stress and seeks to crush you and sweep you away. My goodness, what else could go wrong or what’s going to blow up next? You couldn’t have orchestrated this if you wanted to!
I’ve discovered in life that in the midst of those storms it’s really hard to see God‘s hand until you just stop and let go of your own death grip. The truth is we need just a moment to look back and remember that this isn’t the first time that we’ve been here. The truth is God has all of our answers for each of our perfect storms. God is actually more present and wants to redeem those circumstances in a way that deepens our intimacy with Him and to lead us to be more Christlike.
I look back as they admitted me and Dyan and my mom into the hospital leaving a 17 and 18-year-old at home to fair for themselves. And then they unexpectedly released my 95-year-old mom to return home with only my daughters to care for her. They were more than overwhelmed as mom was completely incapacitated.
But then this most beautiful thing happened. It actually started to unfold the moment the storm hit. A host of family and friends started to show up. The prayers, the calls, the encouragement, started coming from everywhere to support us. The Holy Spirit brought in prayer teams, medical advice, and direction in the midst of our confusion. Our perfect storm turned into a perfect opportunity for God to pour out the love of our family and church community with peace and encouragement. My girls got to see first hand, the lovings hands of dozens and hundreds of gods loving gifts poured out like oil and wine.
You must remember the story in Matthew 8:18 Jesus had just given orders to cross to the other side of the lake And without warning a furious storm came up, and the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping and the men cried, Lord, save us as we’re going to drown.
Isn’t it interesting that Jesus leads them right into the heart of a furious storm so violent that it convinced seasoned fisherman that they were going to die?
Most storms come without warning like ours did and it appeared Jesus was sleeping. Why doesn’t he stop it? Doesn’t He see our pain?
Here’s what I’ve learned. God is more intent on protecting us through our troubles than in protecting us from trouble. James 1:2- 4 "2Consider it pure joy, my brothers,when you encounter trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.…And let endurance have its special results but you may be perfect and complete lacking in nothing.”
One final note of joy and blessing; Our Pastor offered to create a special ceremony for some of the young graduates to walk in a special weekend ceremony in full Cap and Gown at Church. What can God do with a Perfect Storm? He gives us perfect joy and grace in it!
Would you continue to pray for my family especially strength for my mom? We need his perfect strength and wisdom for the weeks and months ahead.
