Denzel. Be more like Denzel.

Be a storm chaser, like Denzel Washington

Life is full of unpredictable weather.

So what do you do when the storms blow in?

Too often we humans run from the windy scene and do everything we can to escape.

Every day we do what we can to avoid the reality that there is a storm raging because we do not want to face it.

There’s a lesser-known Denzel Washington movie, the Equalizer 2.

In the final scenes, Denzel’s character has to travel back to his Floridia hometown and make peace with his past. (And kill a bunch of bad guys and save the day, but let's focus on the lead up!)

To make the metaphor even more epic, he hears a massive hurricane is surging towards the beach house.

There is one vivid moment where it shows a two-lane road running out of town and into town.

The lane that is leaving town is jam-packed with traffic. 

Everyone in town is DRIVING AWAY from the storm.

The other lane?

It’s empty. Not a single car. Not a single soul.

Nobody is headed into the town, everyone is leaving.

No one is chasing the storm.

The storm is chasing them.

Then, the camera zooms in on one car on that empty road.

Right on cue, it's Denzel’s character driving into town.

Denzel is chasing the storm.

What do you do when a storm shows up?

What lane do you find yourself driving in?

Are your storms chasing you?

Or are you chasing your storms?

Countless storms crash onto the beaches of our lives.

Oftentimes without much of a storm warning!

Can’t afford your bills for the month?

Marriage on the rocks?

A long-time friendship unraveling?

Can’t seem to kick a bad habit?

Struggling to prioritize your health?

Neglecting your faith and in cruise control?

Do you always find yourself fleeing the scene?

Driving out of town? Seeking sunny days and comfort?

Or, are you the car driving right behind Denzel?

Are you ready to take responsibility in life, and face whatever comes your way, head on?

Don't run from your storms, chase them.

Verses To Digest:

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.

When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,

Nor shall the flame scorch you.”

-Isaiah 43:2

“Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.”

-Mark 4:39

Your next steps:

Identify the storm(s) you’ve been running from.

Look that hurricane dead in its eye.

Don’t lie to yourself and say “It’s all good”

When you know full well things need to change.

Especially if you’re the one behind the wheel driving the other way.

Flip a u-turn today, and make peace with whatever storms you’ve either left in your past, or you face in your present.

You might be alone, but when you face your storm, you will be the first one to enjoy the sunshine again.

You will know that you chased the storm.

You'll rest easy knowing you didn’t live every day of life with the storm chasing you.

All love,

Lowery