Several years ago, my husband, kids and I were making the 10-hour trek from Cape Town to Kimberley, South Africa. We were somewhere in the vast expanse of the Karoo when fast-moving, dark clouds threatened from behind.

As providence would have it, we needed to stop for petrol. We pulled into the Engen garage and the petrol attendant filled up our car. Of course, then the kids needed the bathroom. We made our way into the convenience store in search of the toilets.

While we stood in the queue for our turn, the clouds caught up with us. They burst open, and pellets of hard rain pummeled down.

The people sitting at the Wimpy restaurant in the convenience store shot out of their seats and ran for their cars.

Determined to beat the storm.

They were going to make a run for it.

“What should we do?” I asked my husband.

He was a veteran in these parts. He’d made this road trip countless times.

“We’re going to wait it out,” he stated, matter-of-factly. “It will pass soon. It always does.”

I decided to trust him. Even though my instincts told me to dash for the car like everyone else, I believed his experience, and hunkered down to wait.

We sat at the Wimpy and had milkshakes. The kids were ecstatic. I was impatient. I wanted to keep moving.

But sure enough, within half an hour, the clouds had lifted, and the storm had passed.

 

Untitled design(2)

 

If we had fled in a panic like everyone else, we likely would’ve been stuck driving in hard rain for quite some time. Instead, we calmly waited in the shelter provided for us as rain pounded on the roof.

I’ve kept this lesson with me for subsequent life storms. When I can see the clouds darkening, I remember that sometimes it’s better to wait it out. Sometimes it’s better to tuck myself in the shelter of the Almighty, and trust that even this storm shall pass soon.

 

BONUS: This song by Casting Crowns came to mind as I prepared this post. I hope it blesses you.

 

This is Day 12 of 31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes. Check out the other posts in this series by clicking here.