Praise You in this Storm

I looked at the crowd on the floor at Verizon Arena during the Casting Crowns concert six weeks ago, all with hands held high singing with all their hearts:

And I’ll praise you in this storm,
And I will lift my hands,
For You are who You are,
No matter where I am.
And every tear I’ve cried,
You hold in your hand,
And though my heart is torn,
I will praise you in this storm.

I could sing this song by heart, yet I was hearing it in a new way. Looking across the sea of people with their hands lifted and their voices raised, I couldn’t help but think that among those in this crowd, some were most likely facing very, very difficult battles.

Cancer. Loss of a loved one. Tragedy. Loss of a job. Family strife.

Yet here they were, praising the Lord through the hard times. I didn’t know who was in the sunshine and who was in the rain, but that was the beauty of it.

I was sure by now
God You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say “Amen”, and it’s still raining

Little did I know that in less than 3 weeks, I would be in my own storm. It would be my mom with the devastating cancer diagnosis. It would be my turn to choose if I would praise Him in the storm.

I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to you
And you raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can’t find You

But as the thunder rolls
I barely hear
You whisper through the rain
“I’m with you”
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

I believe that my loving Father snapped a picture in my heart of that scene in Verizon that evening for a reason. This cancer didn’t take him by surprise, after all. He foresaw this moment that I’m in right now, and the difficult moments that are to come. And I know that even on the most difficult days, he’ll bring me back to a time when all was right in my world.

When the storm was in someone else’s life.

And he’ll remind me that

I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth

And I’ll praise you in this storm