The Day I Realized I Was The Storm

A WWJD Short Story on Hurt, Healing, and the Heart

We walk through life carrying more than we admit — old wounds, disappointments, betrayals, financial stress, broken trust, and the residue of yesterday’s frustrations. Most people don’t realize how much their unhealed pain spills into their day. They think they’re “just having a bad morning,” but in reality, they’re carrying storms that affect everyone around them.

This is a story of what happens when hurt runs the day… and what happens when God steps in.

THE WOMAN — BEFORE GOD

Marissa woke up irritated. 
Her chest felt tight. Her mind raced. 
“Another day of nonsense,” she muttered.

Traffic — A Near Miss
A car drifted into her lane. 
She sped up, rolled down her window, and screamed, 
“Are you stupid?! Watch where you’re going!”

The other driver panicked and swerved. 
Both cars nearly collided with a semi‑truck.

Instead of gratitude for being spared, she muttered, 
“People are ridiculous.”

Scripture: 
“Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools.” — Ecclesiastes 7:9

At the Store — A Moment That Could Have Escalated
A young mother struggled with coupons. 
Marissa sighed loudly. 
“Some of us don’t have all day.”

A man behind her stepped forward, irritated. 
“Hey, relax. She’s trying.”

Marissa snapped back, 
“Mind your business.”

Security glanced over. 
This could have turned into a confrontation.

Scripture: 
“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” — Proverbs 15:1

At the Nail Salon — A Hidden Wound
Her nail tech accidentally nicked her cuticle. 
Marissa jerked her hand away. 
“Do you even know what you’re doing?”

The tech’s eyes filled with tears. 
Marissa didn’t notice. 
Her pain had made her blind.

Scripture: 
“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger… be put away from you.” — Ephesians 4:31

On the Street — A Missed Assignment
A homeless veteran asked, “Ma’am, could you spare anything?” 
She didn’t look at him. 
“No. Move.”

He whispered, “God bless you anyway.”

She didn’t hear the blessing. 
She only heard her own bitterness echoing back.

Scripture: 
“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers…” — Hebrews 13:2

THE WOMAN — AFTER GOD (WWJD CORRECTION)

Marissa woke up the same way — tired, overwhelmed. 
But this time she whispered:

“Create in me a clean heart, O God.” — Psalm 51:10

Traffic — Grace Instead of Fury
The same car drifted into her lane. 
She slowed down. 
“Maybe they’re distracted. Lord, keep us safe.”

A collision avoided — not by luck, but by grace.

At the Store — Compassion Instead of Contempt
The young mother struggled again. 
Marissa stepped forward.

“It’s okay. Take your time.”

The mother exhaled in relief. 
The child watching learned kindness instead of fear.

Scripture: 
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” — Galatians 6:2

At the Nail Salon — Healing Instead of Harm
The tech nicked her cuticle again. 
Marissa winced but said, 
“It’s alright. I know you didn’t mean it.”

The room softened.

Scripture: 
“Let your gentleness be evident to all.” — Philippians 4:5

On the Street — Seeing the Invisible
The same veteran asked for help. 
This time she stopped.

“I don’t have cash, but I can get you lunch.”

His eyes filled with tears. 
“You just made my day.”

Scripture: 
“Whatever you did for the least of these… you did for Me.” — Matthew 25:40

Her healed heart was now healing others.

THE MAN — BEFORE GOD

Derrick lived on alert. 
He’d been lied to, used, cheated on, and financially burned. 
Now he assumed everyone was careless or dangerous.

At Home — A Dangerous Outburst
His wife forgot to pay a bill. 
He exploded.

“This is how people lose everything!”

His daughter dropped her glass. 
His son stepped forward, thinking he needed to protect his mother.

Scripture: 
“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger…” — Ephesians 6:4

At Work — A Career-Threatening Moment
A coworker made a small mistake. 
Derrick slammed his hand on the desk.

“I can’t trust anybody!”

His supervisor overheard. 
One more outburst could cost him his job.

Scripture: 
“Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding…” — Proverbs 14:29

In Public — A Situation That Could Have Turned Violent
A man bumped into him at a gas station. 
Derrick shoved him back.

“Watch yourself!”

The man reached into his pocket — 
Derrick thought it was a weapon. 
It was just his phone.

In another moment, another city… 
that could have ended tragically.

Scripture: 
“Blessed are the peacemakers…” — Matthew 5:9

THE MAN — AFTER GOD (WWJD CORRECTION)

Derrick prayed:

“Lord, heal the places in me that fear has ruled.” 
“Perfect love casts out fear.” — 1 John 4:18

At Home — Trust Instead of Terror
His wife forgot a bill again. 
He paused. 
He breathed. 
“She is not the woman who hurt me.”

“We’ll handle it together,” he said.

His children watched safety replace fear.

At Work — Leadership Instead of Intimidation
A coworker made a mistake. 
Derrick said, 
“It’s okay. Let’s fix it.”

His influence grew.

In Public — Peace Instead of Provocation
A man bumped into him again. 
Derrick said, 
“You’re good, brother.”

A moment that could have escalated became peace.

Scripture: 
“If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” — Romans 12:18

CLOSING REFLECTION

Sometimes the storm isn’t around us — 
it’s in us.

Unhealed hurt becomes harshness. 
Fear becomes anger. 
Stress becomes impatience. 
Old wounds become new reactions.

But when God steps in, the storm calms. 
Not because life gets easier, 
but because our hearts get healed.

This is what happens when we let God interrupt our reactions.

This is what happens when we ask, 
“What would Jesus do in me first?”