Philip Gulley, one of my most enjoyable authors, once wrote about a neighbor who planted several trees, but refused to water them. He planted oaks, and instead of watering the young saplings, every morning he would beat them with a rolled-up newspaper. Smack! Slap! Pow! When Philip asked why he did that, he said it was to get their attention. “Trees that weren’t watered had to grow deep roots.” Years later he wrote: “The trees are granite strong now.”

Psalms 1 speaks of the person who is like a tree planted by the rivers of water. That person is disciplined and willing to do what is right in the sight of God; and that person is blessed with a granite strong faith.

I would like to avoid the storms of life, but if we walk with Jesus, we may walk toward them. It is in the storms where we often find our strength as our roots go deeper into the sustaining heart of God. There are depths of love and grace that we might never know until we face the billowing winds and waves.

We all know those dear saints who faced more than their share of hardships and trials; and who also found the well of living water that put everything back into their soul that troubles took away. They found the true power of the Holy Spirit: the power to be witnesses that Christ is alive, and that He is greater than anything we will ever face; and best of all, He is with us.

We may not prevent the storm, but neither will it prevent us from living by faith. The Gospel song encourages us when life is wearing out our soul:

“It’s not in trying but in trusting,
It’s not in running but in resting,
Not in wondering but in praying,
That we find the strength of the Lord”