Title:- Touching Tornadoes
Jeremiah 23:19 Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD has gone forth in fury---A violent whirlwind!
It seemed to appear out of nowhere. It was like a train screaming over the top of my apartment. Furious in its arrival it left a trail of destruction in its departure. Interestingly this was no vast swathe of devastation, but a selective ‘finger dragging in the dirt’ demarcation of what would be pummelled and pounded and what would be spared. Unlike the hurricane, those vast weather systems that can be intricately tracked, tornadoes cannot. Yes, you can observe the gathering of the ingredients that make their appearance likely, but you cannot plan for their horrible arrival. It’s just there! It just reaches from the dark clouds and touches down in intense, disordered, and often destructive rage like a fast-striking monster from the sky, capable of sudden and unpredictable acts of death and devastation. Undealt with unforgiveness is just like this. Don’t be fooled, for Christians are particularly prone to shocking acts of fury and it is often the perpetrators and producers of such tornadic turmoil that are the most surprised! Often you will find them shocked and horribly amazed, standing besides the devastation of their fury, asking in dire disbelief, “Where on earth did that come from?”What has happened here? Why should the Christian be so surprised and unprepared? Especially when the God of revelation presents Himself clothed in the same striding and awful garb?
The answer I believe is in wrong restraint and incorrect response. So many Christians have been dealt dastardly blows whose natural consequences within them have been rage, violence, disgust and vengeance. However, the call to forgiveness and restoration has led to these furious feelings being suppressed rather than expressed. No place has been made for the righteous venting of these hateful hurts, these screaming emotions. No place in our theology, no place in our culture and no place in our churches. “Suck it up, push it down, repent, forgive, and do not frown!”
The problem is that these emotions may be suppressed for years, until dark clouds that eventually gather in the moisture of unforgiveness, couple up with some instability provided by a repeated or similar experience, which then inevitably lifts the lid on the fastened fury within. All that’s left now is for an unpredictable wind shear to arrive on the scene. You know? A wrong word, not enough sleep, illness, tension, financial hardship, anything out of the ordinary really and WHOOMPETA! Tornado touchdown!
This is a big problem. Where do we find the place and the people who can deal with our hurts in such a way as to vent the flame rather than stoke the fire? For believe me, these things need dealing with correctly else we shall indeed fan the flame and not finish the fury. For fury must be dissipated righteously, else it will lead to disaster.
First, let us begin to acknowledge both our humanity and our hurt. That will at least be a start. From here let us establish some safe houses, some directed places of weeping and wailing if you will. Let us be wise and know that the furious are often not the fallen but saints, fighting with forgiveness.
My reading of scripture tells me that God is well acquainted with fury. It would appear that only He can deal delicately and righteously with such raging winds of emotion. For many of us, precious peace and gem-like joy can only appear after we have “Touched the Tornado.”
May I counsel you today that if a fury is rocking your inner world, that you get in a safe place with Jesus and let it rip with the Lord! God will direct and guide you in this. Get angry, get it out, and get healed, today. May God blessings be upon you.
Listen:- Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:19-21
Pray: - Lord. Teach me today how to entrust my fury to you. So still my storms, that grace would truly flow from felt rivers of peace and surface springs of deepest joy. Do the miraculous in me today O my God, in Jesus name I pray, Amen.
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