Have you ever been abruptly awakened in the middle of the night by a dream that startled you and left you with more questions than answers?
That has happened to me many times. Often, once I am awake, I am unable to fall back asleep. In those quiet hours, I find myself praying, wondering if perhaps that is exactly what the Lord is asking me to do—be still, listen, and spend time with Him.
Sometimes I try to recall every detail of the dream, thinking perhaps there is something I am supposed to write about. But more often than I can count, the dream fades before I can make sense of it.
Then one night it was different.
I woke suddenly with my head pounding, but this time the dream remained incredibly clear. I could still see it. I could remember what had happened.
So once again, I began to pray.
“Lord, help me understand. What are You trying to show me?”
In my dream, I was standing in a place talking with a man. I could not see his face, yet strangely, I wasn’t afraid. I felt safe in his presence.
A storm was beginning to form around us.
The wind grew stronger and stronger. In the distance, I could see a tornado moving toward us. It was powerful, frightening, and coming closer.
The man told me to get down low.
Then he covered me.
When I woke and began praying for discernment, I felt the Holy Spirit impress something deeply upon my heart.
The man represented Jesus Christ.
The storm represented the things I am facing in my life—the uncertainty, struggles, fears, changes, and circumstances that sometimes feel as though they are swirling around me.
But the most important part of the dream wasn’t the storm.
It was that I was covered.
The storm was coming, but I wasn’t facing it alone.
Jesus was there.
He didn’t tell me that there would never be storms. He didn’t make the tornado disappear. Instead, He drew me close and covered me.
What a beautiful reminder that we may not always understand why certain storms enter our lives. We may not know how long they will last or what will be left when they pass. But we can know who is with us in the middle of them.
Sometimes we become so focused on the storm that we forget to look at the One who is covering us.
Perhaps that is what I needed to be reminded of that night.
The storm may be powerful, but my Savior is greater.
He has me close to Him.
He always has.
And He always will.
“He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge.” — Psalm 91:4
Whatever storm you are facing today, remember this: you don’t have to face it alone. Draw close to Him. Trust Him even when you cannot see what is ahead.
Sometimes the greatest peace doesn’t come when God removes the storm.
Sometimes it comes when we realize that, even in the middle of it, we are covered.
A Prayer
Lord, when the storms of life begin to rage around me, help me remember that You are near. When fear tries to overwhelm me and I cannot see what lies ahead, remind me that I am covered by Your love and held securely in Your hands. Give me the faith to trust You in the storm and the peace to know that I am never alone.
Amen
