Fairweather & StormChasers

You can learn a lot from the coming of a storm. Living where I do I watch them on the horizon all the time, it's kind of beautiful... until they hit. The storms of life have taught me a lot too. Mostly they have taught me the difference between fairweather friends and stormchaser friends. Funny thing is you can never really tell which is which until the storm is upon you and really causing havoc. For a pastor, I found I had a lot of fairweather friends. But there was a surprise in the midst of my storm.
I have grown to really cringe when I hear people say "I'm praying for you". Some may be sincere, but I believe it has just become the Christian thing to say to someone about to or going through a storm. I like it better when people actually stop and say "let's pray now" at least there is some immediate action there. But sadly I am afraid that may be as far as it goes. The person going through the storm might get remembered that night or the night after at best.

During my storm, my hurricane, I was so lonely. People could see it on me and would say things like "I'm praying for you buddy" but it never changed the fact that I was in this storm by myself. Now, before we break religious, I know Jesus was with me, but what I am talking about is something entirely different which you will see in a moment. Storms are dark, rainy, scary places of uncertainty. And when you stand there facing the clouds by yourself (with God) it can be an overwhelming sense of fear and anxiety (if you can be honest with yourself and break free from being religious for a moment).

Recently I have met what I would call Stormchasers. These are men in my life that stand next to me and watch the storm approach. We pray, we prepare, but we also take action together. No matter how bad the storm gets they remind me that not only is God with me but they are by my side helping to carry my burden as my brother in Christ, willing to do whatever it takes. The best part is that it's not just lip service, but actual action. In one of my recent depressive lows, one of these brothers came over to my home and would not leave unless I went and got help. He stood in the storm! One Stormchaser knew I was out of a job and wrote me a check for a significant amount of money then called me every few days and asked if I needed more. He stood in the storm!

It has broken my heart to find out who my fairweather friends were and it has totally surprised me to find out who my stormchasers were! Today I stand on the faith end of my blog because God has placed some awesome people in my life and He has also removed some that my heart breaks over. But one thing I have learned thus far is that He is in control and that He loves me! So I can't get hung up on fairweather friends (and I have been one) because there are always the stormchasers that God will send my way when I need them.