Can We Manipulate Life’s Storms?

Joshua Crawford

From 1962 to 1983, Project Stormfury attempted to weaken hurricanes by flying above the storm and dropping silver idodide into the clouds.  Despite numerous experiments and millions of dollars, Project Stormfury produced no significant results.  The program helped meteorologists better predict hurricanes, but demonstrated that manipulating them by man-made methods is impossible.  Do we try to manipulate the storms of our life despite God being in control?

“And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him.  And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves, but he was asleep.  And they went and woke him, saying, ‘Save us Lord; we are perishing.’  And He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?’  Then He rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.”  (Matthew 8:23-26)  Sometimes, do we act as if Jesus isn’t sleeping in the boat with us?  The disciples learned quickly that Jesus was present and ready to help.  Though afraid, which we can certainly relate to, their gut reaction was to wake the Lord, not fix the probem themselves.  If during a disagreement with a loved one, an unexpected financial burden, or a health scare we don’t instinctively turn to wake the Lord, we’re relying on the flesh; we’re trying to manipulate the storm.  Do we think as the Psalmist does?  “I lift up my eyes to the hills.  From where does my help come?  My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:1-2)

Job 5:7 claims, “man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward.”  Storms are commonplace in life, but do we know how to handle them?  Often times we attempt our own solutions first and turn to Jesus as a last resort, but Jesus says, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all.”  (John 6:63)  If our flesh doesn’t help at all, then why depend upon others to work out our relationship issues, our own wits to handle our financial problems, and leave God out of our health?  The Bible says, “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.”  (Psalm 118:8)

According to Proverbs 15:29, we have the ear of the one who creates all storms in our life, but instead we foolishly try to shape the storm ourselves with our own ideas and efforts.  What should we do?  Paul reminds us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6)  If we want the storm to stop, don’t fly high in an airplane, on a mission to do the impossible; go low, to your knees, seeking the One who controls the wind and the waves.