“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity,

but of power, love, and self-discipline."

(2 Timothy 1:7, NLT)

 

It was a hot Summer afternoon, the day when I learned that fear should not run our lives. It all began during a hot summer day, when a tornado warning had been issued for our region. I have always hated storms and feared them immensely. I had been having a pretty good day, until the tornado warning was issued.

 

I had just put the tea kettle on a slow boil, for a cup of chamomile tea, that I would enjoy after my ironing. I had just set up the ironing board to iron some clothes when the weather alarm sounded off on the television. Immediately, I ran to gather my things, and called my friend who lived in another building across the street to ask if I could ride out the storm with her.

 

I grabbed my purse, ran out of the apartment and over to her apartment, where we rode out the storm. It was  early evening, somewhere between 5 and 6 p.m. when I left. As we watched the weather forecast intently, we saw the radar indicate that the worst of the storm had passed by us, with nothing more than some rain, and slight wind gusts.

 

It was about 7:30 p.m. when I made the decision that I would just stay the night at her house. Anytime I visited with her, we would just make a girl’s night of it. I was sitting in her extra bedroom watching television about 9:10 p.m. when I heard the Lord, whisper, “Go home.”

 

I thought about it for a moment, then sat there until about 9:30, before I told my friend, “I have to go home.”

 

“Why? You always stay. It’s late now,” she replied.

 

I don’t know, but I just heard the Lord, tell me to “Go home.” I gathered my purse and made the walk across the parking lot in the darkness of night. As I turned the key in the door and opened it, smoke filled my nostrils. The apartment was full of smoke, but not fire. I ran in to see where it was coming from, and noticed that the tea kettle was still on.

 

“Oh, my Lord, thank You, Jesus!” I shouted.

 

In my haste, I had run out of the apartment and left the tea kettle on. As I turned off the stove, I pulled the tea kettle from the burner, looking for the knob that was on the lid. It was across the room. It must have blown off due to the intense heat. The tea kettle itself was burnt beyond use. It was done.

 

I cut the exhaust fan on and opened the patio door to air out the apartment. The smoke detectors had not yet gone off, and the sprinklers hadn’t either. Thank God! If I hadn’t obeyed God’s direction, I would’ve burned the apartment building down, and been homeless. All because I let fear control me.

 

Yes, a tornado warning is serious, but fear had permeated my being ever since I was a child. Most of the fear of my past had left me, but the fear of storms had not. That night, I had a deep conversation with the Lord about it. He reminded me that fear is tormenting, and He did not give me a cowering spirit. “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love” 

(1 John 4:18, KJV).

 

As I grabbed my Bible, I was really comforted, when He directed me to Proverbs 10:25 (NLT), which states, “When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away, but the godly have a lasting foundation.”

 

Reading that scripture let me know that storms have a purpose in our lives, but they are not meant to destroy us if we are God’s children. In His hands we are well protected. I still respect the power of a thunderstorm, but I am grateful that I no longer fear it. 

 

Prayer:

Father, I have let fear run my life for too long, but now is the time to end the torment. In the name of Jesus, I declare that fear has no place with me. "No weapon formed against me shall prosper" (see Isaiah 54:17). "Because I  have made the LORD my refuge, I have made the Most High my shelter, no evil will conquer me; no plague will come near my home. For he will order his angels to protect me wherever I go. They will hold me up with their hands so I won’t even hurt my foot on a stone" (see Psalm 91:9-12, NLT). "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard my heart and my mind in Christ Jesus" (see Philippians 4:7). Amen.