Stormie: Learning to Rest in the Turbulence

Every time I fly, I make this declaration:

If this plane goes up, it is not coming down in a crash.

And because of that, once I am in the air, I rest.

Now let me tell you something funny. Apparently, whenever I travel, the weather likes to act up. Traveling to Atlanta on Thursday, the weather was horrible. Yet there I was, asleep through the turbulence. Coming back from Asheville, there was a tornado warning. Coming back from Freeport…same thing.

So now a friend says she is going to start calling me “Stormie.”

Honestly…she may be right.

Because as I was flying to Houston and the plane started hitting turbulence again, I felt myself getting sleepy. And while everyone around me was probably trying to steady themselves through the shaking, God’s Spirit woke me up with this thought:

The turbulence on the plane is a lot like our walk with God.

The Bible never promises us a life without storms. In fact, following God often places us directly in situations that stretch our faith, challenge our comfort, and force us to trust Him in ways we never imagined. Jesus Himself said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

But here is the beauty of it all.

Because we have God, we do not just survive the storm…
we can rest in it.

Jesus did it first.

While the disciples panicked on the boat, Jesus slept through the storm because He already knew the outcome (Mark 4:35-41). The storm looked dangerous to them, but to Him, it was just another moment under the authority of God.

That hit me differently while sitting on that plane.

The turbulence did not mean we were falling.
The shaking did not mean we were abandoned.
The storm clouds did not mean the pilot had lost control.

It simply meant we were traveling through conditions that required trust.

And is that not life?

Some of us panic the moment life starts shaking.
Some of us assume turbulence means destruction.
Some of us believe every storm is evidence that God has left us.

But what if the turbulence is simply proof that you are still moving toward purpose?

God is the ultimate Pilot.

He knows how to navigate through dark clouds, strong winds, and conditions we cannot see from our limited perspective. He knows when to ascend, when to descend, and how to safely guide us through places that would terrify us if we had to control the plane ourselves.

And because He is in control, I can rest.

Not because storms do not exist.
Not because life is always easy.
Not because I understand every bump along the journey.

But because I trust the One guiding me through it.

I can rest because I know “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).

That is why “Stormie” does not offend me.

We might bring the weather…
but we also ride the storms.

The storms do not break us.
They build us.
They root us deeper in the knowledge of God’s love, His covering, and His purpose for our lives.

Isaiah 43:2 says:
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you…”

Not if.
When.

So the next time life gets turbulent, maybe the goal is not to panic.

Maybe the goal is to rest.

Because if God allowed the journey, He already accounted for the weather.