I was walking through the cemetery in our town when I noticed a tree that was bent over. It was the victim of a recent windstorm. What was strange about the tree was that it was not uprooted or broken. It was still alive and growing. In the storm damage that took place, all the other trees that were damaged in the storm were either uprooted or broken in two.

The bent-over tree reminded me of people who have gone through a difficult time but remained faithful to the Lord. The storms of life will have an impact on their lives. The experience will bend us over under the effect of the winds of change. In all the intensity of the storm and its effects, they will still be alive, not uprooted or broken.

These seasons of difficulty are challenging and painful. The effects of a personal storm will bend our lives in a different direction than what we had anticipated. In that experience, if we put our trust in the Lord and choose to remain faithful to Him, we will remain rooted in His promise, even though our lives will look different.

As a life storm reaches hurricane intensity, self-survival will no longer be a viable option. It is a time to trust. Only by trusting the Lord and hunkering down in His presence will we be kept spiritually alive until the time the storm has finally passed.