James, the Lord’s brother, once said, “… count it all joy when ye [you] fall into many afflictions.” (JST James 1:2) Joy? – joy? Where is the joy, pray tell, in life’s storms? What eternal purpose is served by fear, pain, and struggle? Well, there’s an answer to that, and maybe these two stories back-to-back will help.

Years ago a young friend of mine, a former student, was climbing in the Teton mountain range. She and her sisters weren’t far from the top of Table Mountain, if you know where that’s at [located] when they noticed a – a thunderstorm big and black, and coming up behind them.

Now, if you know anything about those mountains, lightning storms in the Tetons are deadly. Stories and legends of killer storms are familiar to anyone who’s spent much time there.

Well, as the storm bore down on them, Sky became anxious and frightened. Should she and her sisters go on to the top and take their chances with the lightning, or should they turn back and get down to lower safer ground?

Now think about it: They had come all this way; they were so close to the summit, but that summit would be the most dangerous in such a storm. This was more than just a fear of getting wet. People have died in these mountains before from just such storms.

Now stop for a moment. Why did that storm have to come in the first place? Couldn’t an all-powerful, all-knowing God have turned it away? He knew it was there. Couldn’t He have turned it away? Well, of course He could. Then answer me this: Why didn’t He? And the larger question: Why does He allow Satan to oppose everything we are and everything we do? What I’m really asking is, ‘Why does life have to be so hard sometimes?’ The answer may be found in another story.

A man was once brought to Jesus who was deaf and had a speech impediment. Jesus took the man aside from the group and put His fingers into the man’s ears. He then spit and touched the saliva to the man’s tongue. Then the Savior sighed, looked up to Heaven, and said, “… Be opened.” (Mark 7:34) The man was immediately healed.

But – but why [did He put] the fingers in the man’s ears, and why [did He put] the spit on the man’s tongue? Well, the man was deaf. In a sense his ears were plugged. By putting His fingers in the man’s ears, Jesus communicated His intent to remove the obstruction so that the man could hear. It was a form of communication. And [why did He put] the saliva on the tongue? Well, then and now saliva symbolizes healing. Touching saliva to the man’s tongue communicated the message that Jesus wanted to heal his speech impediment.

Now, why did Jesus do these unusual and, some would say, ‘disgusting’ things? Well, the answer is this: If there is no faith, Jesus can do no miracle. Within that man, the sleeping giant of faith had to be awakened before the miracle could happen. It’s the same now; it’s no different. God will do whatever it takes to awaken faith in us, even if that means trials, afflictions, fear, and even thunderstorms when we least expect or want them.

As the storm closed in on the girls, Sky and her sisters huddled together, and got down on their knees and prayed, and asked their Father in Heaven to turn the storm away. Their awakened faith was answered as they stood and watched that mighty storm split, and [it] went around them on all sides. Rain fell and lightning flashed all around them, but where they stood it was dry and it was safe. They continued on to the top, and later from the summit of Table Rock [Table Mountain] they watched that storm come back together in all of its fury and lash the peaks of the three Tetons.

That storm became one of the most spiritual experiences in my young friend’s life. So it can be with us. I realize this is hard to say, but don’t curse those storms in life whatever they are and however they come. Use them. Turn in faith and prayer to God, the God whose love never fails, and let Him awaken the sleeping divine giant within you.

My dear friends, this Thanksgiving thank God for One (Christ) who loves you just as you are, but will never leave you there.