The Power of a Storm

Bible Reading: Psalm 29

Kaden dragged his toe in the dirt as the swing went back and forth, back and forth. He was hardly swinging at all.

“Isn’t swinging supposed to put a smile on your face?”

Kaden looked up and cracked a grin. It was his friend, Mr. Snyder.

“I saw you sitting here as I walked by and noticed you seem a bit down,” Mr. Snyder said as he took a vacant swing. “What’s nagging at you?”

Kaden kicked at the dirt again. “Oh, it’s just that I can’t ever seem to get things right. I really want to live the way God wants me to, but I can’t seem to get rid of my bad attitude or stop getting into trouble.”

“I see,” said Mr. Snyder. “That reminds me of something that happened to me last hunting season.”

“What was that?” Kaden asked.

“Well,” Mr. Snyder began, “I had tracked a herd of elk to the top of a hill when a thunderstorm came out of nowhere. By the time I reached the top, thunder was crashing and the elk were gone. I crouched behind a rock, wondering what I should do, when suddenly, just a few yards from me, lightning struck the ground!”

Kaden’s eyes opened wide. “Whoa! What did you do?”

Mr. Snyder laughed. “I ran down the hill like crazy! Never stopped running until I reached my truck and jumped inside. What a storm! But you know what I realized? I was so consumed with the power of the storm that never once did I think of anything else. And that taught me a lesson.”

“I need to think about storms and then I won’t sin?” asked Kaden in surprise.

Mr. Snyder shook his head. “The more we fill our minds with thoughts about God’s awesome power and greatness, the less room we have for thoughts of sin.”

“Oh,” Kaden said. “How do we do that?”

“Praying, reading the Bible, going to church—all those things remind us who God is and everything He’s done for us through Jesus so we can worship Him and know He’s always with us, even when we mess up.”

Kaden hopped off the swing. “Thanks, Mr. Snyder! I’d better get home—I’m gonna try that out right away!” – Rebecca Thomas

How About You?

Are you struggling with sin in your life? Even as Christians, sin pulls and tugs at our hearts every day, and it can be discouraging when we keep messing up. This is why the Bible tells us to keep our minds on Jesus. When we think about how great He is and everything He’s done for us, we’ll be less tempted to sin. Spend time today thinking and meditating on God’s greatness.

Today’s Key Verse:
Psalm 29:2 Honor the Lord for the glory of his name. Worship the
Lord in the splendor of his holiness. (NLT)

Today’s Key Thought:

Fill your mind with God’s greatness