Praising God through a mighty storm...literally
“All things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose." -Romans 8:28
What would you do if someone told you that the most important day of your life was going to take an unexpected turn? Well, on my wedding day, someone said to me that my venue would be moved from the sandy shore's of the beach to the inside of a hotel lobby due to a large forecasted storm.
When my thoughts, emotions, and actions could’ve erupted, they were the exact opposite.
I responded, “Wow! I can’t believe that God has something greater planned for us!” I was thinking of the promise that God gave in Romans 8:28, that “all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.”
If my wedding is moved inside, then there is mighty good that is going to come out of it. I went up to my hotel room and started to pray and praise God. Immediately, I remembered God’s Word in the bible when Jesus was on a boat with his disciples, and along came a great storm unexpectedly.
“Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” the disciples shouted to Jesus as he was sleeping. I love the response that Jesus gave. “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Right after that, Jesus got up and commanded the storm to end.
What is interesting to think about is that Jesus was relaxing and sleeping in his comfort, not with any worries. As I was praying in my room, I lifted my prayer of faith to the Lord, who I knew could bring an end to this storm that was to come. I learned from the story and made sure that I did not let any doubtfulness into my heart.
I continued in prayer all day, literally praising God through the storm. I prayed alone and even later with friends to receive the hope that God was to bring His good and perfect will out of this situation.
Hours went by, and just thirty minutes before the ceremony was supposed to start, the predicted thunderstorms were nowhere in sight. The sky was shining with golden beams, and the water was as calm as it could be. However, the wedding was completely set-up inside by now, and everything was set in stone.
I went up to the wedding planner who had authority for action and politely asked her if we could move the wedding back outside to the beach. “It’s beautiful outside, and there is no storm in sight!” I mentioned to the wedding planner. Guests had started to arrive by now, and I said that we would all help carry everything out to the beach.
I asked her seven separate times if we could move the wedding, and every time she advised that it would not be possible. Then I kindly asked, “who can I talk to that may have the ability to make this happen?” She walked over to her manager, and I quickly followed, knowing I would need to make my case.
By the grace of God, the hotel wedding manager said that we could move the wedding back outside ourselves, but if there was even a drop of rain the DJ would have to bring his sound equipment in, meaning it would be hard to hear the ceremony. I had enough faith to take that chance.
My friends, family, and even people I didn’t know assisted in moving everything to make the wedding happen on the beach, where we had dreamed it to be our whole lives.
I saw God’s faithfulness in the mightiest of ways that day. When we praise God through the storm, he is faithful. He wants us to trust in Him and look back at the evidence that occurred in the bible so that we can apply them to our lives too.
Not a single drop of rain fell during the ceremony, and the storm had gone entirely off course. I know that storms are mighty, but no storm in life is mightier than our God. Amen.