“A Squirrel’s Faith” by Justin March

Debris began to swirl
around, tree branches whipped back and forth, and the windows of our house
rattled as the wind picked up the other day.  It was one of those storms
that sent trash cans flying and made fences sway.  And if you wanted to venture
outside to face this wind, you were guaranteed a force that was not going to
back down.

As the wind howled and
distracted me from doing my job, I decided to take a break.  I got up from
my office chair, did a few stretches, and watched the wind wreak havoc.  I
was safe inside my home, thankful I did not have to be outside, and I marveled
at the power the wind had over God’s creation.  But as I stood there and
encapsulated all that was going on around me, I noticed something I struggled
to fully understand.

In the midst of all
this chaos, a squirrel was sleeping on the branch of a tree.  Its’ bushy
tail was blowing back and forth, the branch was swaying, and the tree was being
pushed around as it braced itself against this powerful force.  Yet, the
squirrel never wavered.  It paid no attention to the storm, and it never
allowed the howling wind to wake it from its’ slumber.  Maybe this
squirrel felt secure after surviving many storms in its’ life, or maybe it
understood that the branch it had chosen was stronger than any wind.
Either way, this squirrel continued to rest and find peace amongst these upset
conditions.

Is there a lesson we
can learn from this simple story?  Is our faith strong enough to withstand
the storms of life?  In a world where we walk in the midst of disease,
self doubt, intolerance, hatred, violence, idolatry, and selfishness, do we
find a way to encapsulate the peace and comfort only God can provide?

Like this squirrel, we
need to find something that is stronger than any storm.  We need to have
faith, that in God’s loving arms, we will be okay when the winds began to
howl.  And we need to understand that upset conditions are temporary, so
that we do not let our faith waver even when life seems dark and dire.
God has given us a solid foundation in the messages of our Bibles, within the
sanctuaries of our churches, and amongst the people he surrounds us with.
And if we remember to ask God for help, protect ourselves with His armor and
shield, and stand firm in the face of adversity, we will always find comfort
and peace in His everlasting arms.

Be the squirrel this
week.  Have the faith and courage needed to withstand anything the evil
forces want to throw your way.  And when the day ends, the peace and
comfort you find in following the Lord’s direction will keep any wind from
blowing you off your path.

“Peace I leave with
you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

-John 14:27