BAD WEATHER

By: Jessica Breazeale

Most people prefer to evacuate a storm if given the opportunity. Who wouldn’t want to

skip out on the disaster and the aftermath? It’s too hard…too stressful. I get it.

During Hurricane Katrina, I was a student at the University of Southern Mississippi and a Dixie Darling dancer. When the hurricane hit, our football team, band, and student body were scattered and bewildered. Our first game back after the storm, the band didn’t perform on the field, but those who could attend dressed out and showed support in the stands. It was a hard time. Gas was difficult to find. Living without electricity for several weeks was a new skill set. In that specific time, if I could have avoided Hurricane Katrina, I would have done that.

We can’t seem to be that lucky with life’s metaphorical storms, though, can we? We don’t get the luxury to avoid all the bad stuff. Can we simply evacuate when the “storms” come raging? Well, that’s the wrong question, isn’t it?

Yes, we as a people avoid the hard stuff every single day. We escape by mentally checking out, medicate to cover the anxieties, choose the easier, cheaper options to weather the storms. We as a people don’t really want to go through the hard stuff.

Did we forget that is what makes us better? Did we forget that trial by fire made us stronger? Did we forget that the lessons learned from said storms gave us clarity and wisdom for the next storm?

Why would we want to miss out on all the opportunities that come from the storms?

When we acknowledge the storm and choose to be in the presence of God during those rough waters, it ain’t so scary anymore (using a thick country accent). We step into the unknown with opportunity. We step into chaos and confusion with power and purpose. It’s a new perspective where we see the storm as a lesson, and if I may be so bold to say, we could all really stand to learn these lessons. There have always been storms and will always be storms – literal and metaphorical.

• Maybe there was an obvious drought, and we desperately needed the downpour that storm provided.

• Maybe if everything was perfect all the time, we’d have no real reason to fully rely on God.

• Maybe if we didn’t learn how to weather the storm, we wouldn’t have the skillset for the next thing headed our way.

• Maybe if we didn’t develop the gifts from this, we couldn’t bless the people coming our way after this.

We don’t know all the “maybes”. God does. 

What if the storm needed to happen because of an obvious drought in your life - or one coming later. Maybe you are in prep-mode for a season that will rely on your obedience to weather THIS STORM like a trusting CHILD OF GOD. Maybe you were not just thirsty buy dehydrated on the brink of collapse. The storm’s floodwaters actually saved you. It’s about perspective, right?

Think of your future self. your future children, future grandkids – or so far down the family tree - that this season matters.

o   It matters if you weather the storm.

o   It matters if you get the water you needed.

o   It matters if you learn the rebuilding lessons you needed.

o   It matters if you learn how to storm prep better.

Basically, bad weather is inevitable, but the storms definitely matter. Instead of immediately trying to evacuate, be prepared for it, confident through it, and ready to roll up your sleeves afterward in the aftermath. What a beautiful opportunity to help the next person!

Now, looking back at Hurricane Katrina, I needed to learn some of the lessons from that experience. While it was inconvenient and hard, hindsight is 20/20, and I grew a little from that.

Bad weather matters because sometimes it’s needed and good.