What do you do when the storms of life come suddenly, catching you off guard, placing you in a fight or flight position? Most people’s reaction is to fight while others take off running towards alcohol, drugs, partying, sex, spending money they don’t have, hanging out with people they have no business hanging out with, and doing things they have no business doing. The result is they only end up right back where they started, forced to face the same problems they were initially dealing with. You can’t become a conqueror until you learn how to weather the storms of life, time and time again.
In the book of Mark, chapter six, we read that the disciples got into a boat at night and took out across the sea. In their obedience to Jesus, the disciples ran directly into a storm. Their obedience literally took them into the nucleus of a disaster.
I wish I could tell you that following Jesus means you will never have to face any storms. I wish I could tell you that following Jesus means that the waters of life will always be calm. I wish I could tell you that following Jesus means life will be rosy and all of your days sweet.
These disciples were following Jesus, and they ran right into rough-seas. The disciples discovered, as many of us have also discovered, that: You can be both in the center of God’s will, and still in a storm.
There is a lot of preaching today as well as many Christian books that tell you that if you follow Jesus, then you will never have to face any challenges in life. That wasn’t true for Jesus, or for anyone else I know who has followed Him. Following Jesus doesn’t offer immunity from troubles. What it does give is the opportunity to experience Him in the midst of the trouble.
Life comes with troubles, regardless of whether or not you follow Jesus. You get to choose if you want Him to join you in your troubles, or if you’d rather go through them alone. What I want you to remember as you face life’s storms is that Jesus is with you. You are not alone. And, rather than focus on the problems, focus on the promises. If you focus too much on the problems, you will lose sight of the promises. Fix your eyes on Jesus and His Word and He will bring peace and calm to the struggles you are facing.
God has a purpose for pain. He doesn’t always reveal it when we want Him to. In some cases, we won’t discover what it is until we get to Heaven. But He has promised us that if we love Him, He will use the good, the bad, and the bitter winds for our good, His glory, and the advancement of His Kingdom. When you feel like giving up, look up. Fix your hope on Him.
Survival strategies to employ during a storm:
- Ask God for help
When storms are hitting hard, and you don’t know what to do, ask God for help. Proper insight from the Lord is of tremendous benefit in dealing with the storms of life. A single revelation is worth thousands of inspirational words. Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.
- Seek counsel from those who have gone ahead of you
Another tool that you can use to deal with the storms of life is to identify someone you can trust. Someone who has been there and done that over and over and can offer you valuable tips for survival.
Remember what you are facing today is not unique to you. Others have gone down that same path or even worse than you are currently going through. Their success stories can be a great source of encouragement and illumination. You will not crash under that load. The Master has placed enough witnesses along the path to assist you to get to your promised land.
- Focus on the positive element in the storm
Every challenge in life comes with its hidden opportunities. It is therefore your responsibility to isolate the benefits of the storm and focus on them rather than the storm itself. In every adversity there lies the seed of an equivalent advantage. In every defeat is a lesson showing you how to win next time. In the middle of the storm lies opportunity. What does not kill you will make you stronger at last. For the child of God, every allowed storm is a blessing in disguise. Achievers in life use the storms of their lives as springboards to rise to the next level. They relish challenges and use them profitably.
Every storm we face has some latent energy in it that can be leveraged as a force for good. Storms can make you tender or tough. It can make you better or bitter. It all depends on you.
- Hold on to the promises of God until the change comes
Winners in life are individuals who refuse to quit or give up when all others have washed their nets and had gone home. They are people who never take a “no” for an answer. They are relentless and resolute in their pursuit. In order to overcome the storms of life, you must be ready to stand on the promises of God no matter how long it takes. Persistence and tenacity is the name of the game. Your persistence must overcome every resistance and you will rejoice when the dust finally settles.
In Hab.2:3, the Bible says, if it delays, wait for it shall surely come to pass. The victory you are looking for in life is not for the faint-hearted but for the brave. Like Jacob, may you also declare that until you bless me, I will not let you go. Job said I will wait until my change comes. Indeed, the change he was expecting did come to pass. He had everything the devil stole from him restored double fold.
The storm will soon be over and you will be declared the winner and not the loser. Paul declared in 2 Cor.4:8-9: We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. You will not be destroyed. See you on the other side of the river.
Powerful I did learnt a lot on how to face problems in life