Preparation in prayer, Scripture, and community may feel unnecessary in calm seasons, but it equips you to stand firm when storms come unexpectedly.
A farmer in China carried a wide bamboo hat with him to the fields.
But on sunny days, it felt unnecessary. Heavy, even. Why bother with a hat when the sky was clear and the air was calm?
So eventually, he left it behind.
Then one afternoon, the clouds rolled in. Rain poured down without warning.
The farmer was drenched, unprepared for what came. Suddenly, the hat he once thought of as a burden was the very thing he wished he had kept.
When things are going smoothly in our lives, it’s easy to think we don’t need prayer, Scripture, or the habits that strengthen our faith.
But storms never announce themselves.
By the time the rain falls, it’s too late to prepare.
In Matthew 7:24–25 we are reminded of this truth:
“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”
When you’re in a season of calm, it’s easy to set aside the disciplines that prepare your soul.
But Scripture, prayer, and community are not just for emergencies. They are the bamboo hat you carry so that when the storm comes, you are not caught unprotected.
Don’t wait for the rain to remind you of what you left behind.
Build rhythms of prayer and time in the Word now.
Tend your faith when the skies are clear, and you’ll be ready when the clouds gather.
Keep carrying your bamboo hat. It may feel unnecessary today, but tomorrow it might be the very thing that saves you.
