The storms of life
One thing that we can count on in life
there are going to be storms.
This is one of the things that we have
to realize and recognize that there are
going to be times when things in our
lives are not exactly going perfect.
I want to point out some scriptures in
the Bible that speak about the storms
of life.
One of them are in:
Matthew 8:23-24
23. And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
24. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
Looking at the Scripture we can see that storms will come to everyone in life.
These storms are meant for two purposes one to slow us down, two to teach us something.
The funny thing about storms they hit everybody the good and the bad like the Bible says it rains on the just and on the unjust.
Let’s face it storms come in everybody’s life but it’s how we handle both storms that is the important part and also shows our maturity as a Christian.
Many people think when they come to Christ that they are free from having any storms in their lives and I really hate to tell you this but that is not true.
Everything that happens in a Christian’s life is not by accident is always by design.
Jesus knew what was going to happen in that boat the disciples however did not they did not have a clue of what was just about to happen to them.
Notice the Bible says Jesus was asleep I believe that it is possible that it was because of the confidence or faith that he had in God and new nothing was going to happen but he used the storm to show and to teach the disciples the walk of faith that no matter where were at no matter what situation we are in God will always calm the storms of our lives.
Now if we go to the book of
Matthew 8:25-26
25. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
26. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and
rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
You get this distinct feeling by reading what was happening at the disciples were in a bit of a panic somehow they forgot who was in the boat with them
As we continue on in our walk of faith with God, God will allow the storms to periodically come into our lives to help us to increase our faith and to grow in our relationship with God and to learn how to trust him.
This is only a test and a teaching lesson for the disciples and Jesus had to point out their weak areas in their spiritual lives.
The storms that come allow us a chance to see our weak areas in our spiritual walk.
This is why Jesus told them “O ye of little faith” this was to make them realize they needed to grow in faith a little bit more.
If we are honest with ourselves no one likes to admit that they don’t have faith and they really struggle with trusting God.
If we continue to look at this scenario that is in the Bible in the book of Matthew even when Jesus rebuked to sea and this storm stopped the disciples still struggled with believing look at what it says in:
Matthew 8:27
But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
The disciples struggled with grabbing a hold of who Jesus really was and what Jesus could really do.
Many times we struggle with really realizing who Jesus is and what Jesus can really do in our lives.
The one thing that we do have to remember is this no matter what kind of storms come into your life Jesus has the power to calm those storms there is not one thing that is going on in your life that God is not aware of.
Another story in the Bible shows how God will create storms in our lives in order to get us going in the right direction take a look at:
Jonah 1:4
4 But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.
Jonah made a large mistake he thought he could just do whatever he thought was right no matter what God told him to do.
Sometimes we get a little off course God tells us one thing but we decided to do another.
And when this happens just like with Jonah God has to send a storm.
Remember not all storms are sent by the devil.
Sometimes they are sent by God in order to get us to go in the right direction.
Remember there is not one thing that happens in your life that God is not in control of no matter who sensed a storm.
In the story of Jonah if you read the whole story you will come across the part where they throw him overboard and a fish swallowed him now if you look at this in the natural you may say oops God was too late.
But actually God got him right where he wanted him.
Brothers or sisters God is never too late.
Let me share a scripture with you in the book of:
John 11:5-6
5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.
If you look at this story of Lazarus usually when a person is dead it’s over with but that’s the one thing that we can thank God for he works outside of the normal.
Jesus was aware that Lazarus was sick but yet he waited until he died.
Again we have to remember God is always on-time God always has a plan.
Have you ever told God now would be a good time for him to do a miracle in your life but yet he waits and waits and waits and it seems like you are going to die and all of a sudden God will come through God is teaching us to trust in him.
Somehow we get this idea as Christians that being a Christian is just carrying the title of Christian it’s not being a Christian is learning to grow in faith and in a real relationship with God, and learning to put our total trust in his decisions in our lives.
God will never fail us of course we do have to do our part we have to live the life that is well pleasing to God.
God will not put you into a storm he won’t bring you out of.
Do you remember the story of the three Hebrew boys Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; when the King threw them into the fiery furnace in the book of Daniel Chapter 3 they did not go through that storm alone someone else was in there with them.
And whenever you go through any storms God will not leave you alone when you go through the no matter how bad they may get.
Remember this don’t ever give up on God because God is not going to give up on you.
A other person that faced a storm in their lives was Paul lets look at his story for a moment in:
Acts 27:20
And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.
In the book of acts Paul was sent to Rome and on his way there a great storm came upon them and everyone around Paul began to give up because of what they saw.
Remember the things and the storms of life we cannot go by what we see or hear even
What we have to believe in is God no matter how bad it may look God can always make it better.
Just like with Paul we will survive because God has a purpose for us and our lives.
Many people in the Bible have faced many different types of storms and every one of them they survived a storm.
The Bible teaches us that we are not to worry in the book of:
Matthew 6:30
Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Matthew 6:30 tells us not to worry about tomorrow because it’s going to take care of itself you might be going through storms right now but people have faith in God that’s all God is asking of you.
Again we are reminded in Matthew 6:30 that we have little faith in God is trying to get us to have great faith in him this is why Jesus repeats himself and tells us “O ye of little faith”.
Faith is something that we have to learn and as we go on we do learn from each storm is an opportunity to learn how to have faith in God, God is not trying to destroy us.
But he is trying to get us to have faith in him.
So the next time you see a storm coming prepare yourself.
And after the storm goes away begin to prepare yourself for the next one.
How do you prepare for storm?
1) Reading your Bible
Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
2) Praying
Psalms 50:15 Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.''
You do not want to wait until the trouble hits your household or your life and then pray
It’s too late then prepare for the storm before it hits.
God does warn us that there are going to be storms in our lives in the book of:
Psalms 34:19
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
Yes many are the afflictions of the righteous but the good news is Jesus will lead us out of all of them.
So the next time you go into a storm remember you are going in it alone Jesus will get you through it.
Remember we were born to be victorious in all areas of our lives.
Romans 8:37
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
