If you’ve lived long enough in this world, you have encountered a storm in your life.
Heartbreak, loss and troubles come in many different forms in this world.
We ask ourselves why God allows these Storms in our lives if he loves us.
Most of us would never want even one storm in our life given a choice.
Yet, God sees value in difficult times. It seems clear why the storm has come sometimes as we learn and grow from it. Sometimes our storms are brought on by our own sin, with the purpose of bringing us to repentance like King David, who for a time made bad choices, after which God sent storms of painful experiences to drive him back to the center of His will. David was ultimately thankful for this as he wrote, “Before I was afflicted, I went astray,but now I keep Your word. It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes” (Ps. 119:67, 71).
Sometimes our storm is the result of sin caused by the free will of others,
which God then uses according to his purpose, and ultimately for our good. (Rom 8:28)
Whether the storm is about learning deeper levels of trust and faith in God, or a way for Him to prune and shape us to have a more Christlike character, whether it is because we have not put God first over our own interests, or another reason altogether, we learn after each storm to trust God more than we did before, seeing him once again sustain us when we couldn’t get through it on our own.
Sometimes during or after the storm we remember His Words that he is with us always, (Matt 28:20)
that he walks with us even through the valley of the shadow of death, (Psalm 23:4)
that He has said we will have troubles in this world, but to take heart that he has already overcome the world for us. (John16: 33) Yet countless times we doubt, we fear, we sin, and we trust ourselves before God, only to be reminded again at some point in the storm that we can’t make it on our own, as it pushes us to our knees in prayer so we are finally looking up, instead of within.
The more life continues, the more storms we face in periodic cycles—some easy, some excruciatingly hard.
Sometimes God calms the storm; sometimes He lets the storm rage and calms the child.
Remember the story of the disciples getting in the boat with Jesus on the Sea of Galilee. As Jesus slept a great storm arose on the waters finding the disciples fearing for their lives as they woke the Savior, who simply calmed the winds and storm with a word from his lips. (Matt 8:23-27) They had already seen the Son of God perform
miracles beforehand, yet their faith was so small they gave in to doubt and fear, only to be shown again the Son of God’s power over all things.(1 Peter 5:11)
When going through any storm in life, remember who it is that calms them.
We all fall into that same category at times when our doubt creeps in, that somehow God’s grace and power won’t apply to us. But remember that our Savior is the same yesterday, today and forever.(Heb 13:8)
His Salvation is not just for the end of our earthly lives to be with Him in Heaven, but daily, for by His grace, we breathe, live and are sustained. Through His gift of faith, we are His children (Gal 3:26),
the very hairs on our head are numbered, and not even a sparrow falls to the ground unless God allows it. (Luke 12:6-7)
Be assured that whether God allows a storm in our lives or allows it to pass, that through Christ we can do all things through Him who strengthen us. (Phil 4:13) That whether He saves us by calming our storm, or whether He walks through the storm with us by our side, we can trust that our Savior is with us every step of the way. (Heb 13:8)
For every day God thinks of you.(Psalm 68:19) Every hour God looks after you. (2 Thess 3:3)
Every minute God cares for you. (1 peter 5:7) Because every second He loves you. (Jer 31:3)
It is often through our storms that we learn how to be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10),
so that when our next storm hits and we are on the rollercoaster of emotions, tempting us to panic and do reactionary things, we learn it is better to trust Him and the ways He directs us to follow in His word,
where He tells us to lean not on our own understanding, so that we may reap the blessings he wants for his children instead of reaping the consequences of trusting ourselves and our ways before God’s. Which reminds me of the phrase, “ If God is your co-pilot, you’re in the wrong seat! “
Sometimes our faith in the midst of our storm is like Peter’s, who attempted to walk on water trying to come to Jesus, but he began to sink in the water of his own doubt and fear, crying out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him.
Remember when you are sinking in your own fear and doubt that Jesus in the same way is there for you with His
hand reaching out to you. (So grab on!) (Matt 14:22-31)
We of little faith often try to escape our storms even when we realize God is working through them in us, growing, healing, refining as we continue to learn that God’s ways are not our ways.
Jesus, who willing sacrificed his life to pay for our sins, is proof that sometimes love will lead you directly into the storm.
Sometimes God sends the storm to show that he is the only shelter.
I remember hearing a story of a 13-year-old girl who had written a poem called “Send the Storm,” where she was basically asking God to send trouble into her life. Well, I don’t know about you, but most of us by human nature are asking God to get us out of trouble, not into trouble. But this girl was given a strong enough faith at a young age to realize that it is when our world and things are going great day after day, that we typically drift in our relationship with our Savior and unconsciously go astray, depending more on ourselves than God, the one who provided our blessings. And she realized that it is during our storms in Life, when we are pressed that we find ourselves flat on our backs looking up, and on our knees in prayer, drawing closer to the Savior whom our Salvation is found through.
This young girl realized she would rather have trouble in her life and be closer to her Savior than the fear of drifting away from him through the tempting and deceitful good times of the world, which unconsciously lead us to believe we are in control and to put our faith in ourselves.
Much like the Apostle Paul, who shares the same message where he says in
2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (TLB)
7 “ I will say this: because these experiences I had were so tremendous,
God was afraid I might be puffed up by them; so I was given a physical
condition which has been a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to
hurt and bother me and prick my pride. 8 Three different times I begged God
to make me well again.
9 Each time he said, “No. But I am with you; that is all you need. My power
shows up best in weak people.” Now I am glad to boast about how weak I
am; I am glad to be a living demonstration of Christ’s power, instead of
showing off my own power and abilities. 10 Since I know it is all for Christ’s
good, I am quite happy about “the thorn,” and about insults and hardships,
persecutions and difficulties; for when I am weak, then I am strong—the less
I have, the more I depend on him.”
So do not fear when the storm comes. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer (Rom 12:12); let go of anxiety, doubt and fear, knowing that God is in control. (1 Peter 5:11), that He is with you always.(Matt 28:20) (Heb 13:8)
Be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:9),
for God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46: 1-2). Trust in God, who can do all things. (Matt 19:26)
Instead of depending on you, trust in him and his ways before your own. (Prov 3:5-6)
For he is close to the broken hearted, (Psalm 34:18) and will lighten your load, (Matt 11:28-30)
and carry and guide you through the storm no matter how difficult your circumstances. (Psalm 32:8) (Isaiah 41:10)
Would we take the easier path when the storm comes if we could choose?
Sure, but it wouldn’t be what is best for us according to God’s will and ways of healing, growing and refining us. How many wonderful and beautiful things have happened by God’s will through storms when we trust in Him and follow his word and ways through it.
The next time a storm comes into your life, don’t tell God how big your storm is; tell the storm how big your God is. Because whether we are like the 13-year-old girl, the sinking Peter, the Apostle Paul and his thorn, or simply ourselves, we can have peace in the storm knowing, “when I am weak, then I am strong.”
There is purpose in the storm. It is through the storms we gain a stronger relationship with God, a deeper faith, and a more godly character. Won't you let God accomplish His purpose in your storm?
