“If there is no struggle, there is no progress.”

― Frederick Douglass

While meditating on my morning devotional, I gazed outside my window and saw a bird perch itself on a rather flimsy branch of the great tree in our backyard. It was a bit breezy outside, but soon what had initially been a slight gust that caused the branch to sway gently back and forth quickly became a strong wind, causing the branch to move violently up and down and side to side. I kept waiting, expecting the bird to fly away, but it never did.  It continued to hold on. Finally, after what seemed like ages, the wind died down and the branch's movement stabilized. It was only then, when the proverbial storm was over, that the bird flew away.

That micro storm reminded me of recent experiences in my life– times when my environment seemed unstable and the ground seemed a bit shaky with no stability in sight. I had to ask myself: was I going to fly away in an effort to escape or was I going to hold on and wait it out? The bird’s choice to remain on the branch while it was being tossed about by the wind and wait to leave only once the branch's movement stabilized is not the choice we see people opt for in today’s social climate.  Patience, longsuffering, and unwavering commitment are not virtues that are regularly celebrated in current American culture. We live in a moment where instant gratification and quick fixes are deified, and there is little to no tolerance for discomfort.

When we face adversity and challenges, let’s refrain from running the moment things become uncomfortable.  We can be assured that there is a valuable lesson in pushing through the discomfort.  We become stronger and more resilient.  And the reality is that often when we feel unsafe, pressured, or stressed, our decision-making abilities are not at their peak. It’s only when the wind stops howling and our foundation stabilizes that we are able to clearly see the choices and paths ahead of us such that we can make the wisest choice.

Hard is not synonymous with bad. Nothing in our lives that we will truly value or appreciate will come to us very easily. 

Embrace the storm.