I’ve never been big on using cliche language in my writing, but at the risk of being cliche I’m writing on the topic of ‘storms’ in our lives. The term ‘storm’ is commonly used to describe a circumstance or period of someone’s life where things aren’t going smoothly. Nature gives us rain, hail, snow, wind, and firestorms, and all the these come in many different levels of intensity, yet I think our so called ‘storms of life’ have even more diversity to them. With every relational, physical, financial, emotional, etc. storm that we face, these storms then come in differing degrees and severities for every single person. Because every person varies, every storm, and the way the storm is handled, also varies.
I enjoy a good thunderstorm, but every other type of storm, be it a one of nature or life circumstance, gets a negative score in my opinion. Today I was finishing up the book of Acts in my Bible reading, and God seeded a new idea in my mind about storms though. In the last two chapters of Acts we read the story of Paul sailing to Rome and everything that ensues. First they ran into a major storm on the sea that lasted over two weeks. The people of course were freaking out, but Paul reassured them that God would keep them safe. Then they ran aground on a random island where they were welcomed by the people. Paul was then bitten by a viper (the man couldn’t catch a break…you ever feel like that?), but when the people saw that he wasn’t dying, he really had their attention. Then he got to share the gospel with them, and people were healed and saved. What a great way for the story to end. Those healings and salvations though only came about because of the storm Paul found himself in. He never would have landed on the island where those people were if the storm hadn’t blown him there. The end of the story is a direct result of the the storm. The storms in our lives greatly affect the direction of lives take.
Paul had peace in the middle of the storm because he knew his God had him. Acts. 27:23 says “…God whose I am…” showing that Paul, in the midst of his storm kept his confidence in the truth of God. We are God’s treasured possessions, and He keeps us, though not from experiencing storms. Don’t think that your storm is evidence that God has dropped you. God uses storms to bring us to a place where He can do powerful works within us, and where He will receive greater glory. Sometimes we go from one storm right into another, without even a breather, but God is in that too. Acts. 27:25 says “so keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.” These people had just been through a two week long storm and then they were told they must shipwreck themselves. This does not equal a good day, yet Paul tells them to have courage. Paul had faith that God would see them through. Like Paul, I urge you to take courage. Take a hold of the fact that you belong to God and that He loves you. God is in control and will get you where He wants you to be if you yield yourself to Him; trust Him. I’m sorry for the pain you have or will experience during your storm, but it doesn’t matter what kind of storm or storms you are facing, God will see you through, and He will bring something great out of it that couldn’t have come if you hadn’t been blown about by a storm, and for that I’m not sorry.