PATIENCE IN THE MIDST OF THE STORM

 

Life is full of ups and downs. Today, you will be on top but that does not guarantee your position tomorrow. Everyday has its own issues but the greatest of it all is how we react when we face the storms of life. Man has been created unique different from one another. How i will handle a situation is very different from how you will react to the same issue. In the midst of the storm, a lot of ideas come to mind. Some will prefer to run away, others will prefer to stay and fight. While some will prefer to remain calm, others allow their adrenaline to make them react in a hasty manner. The results after any storm is determinant on the reaction of man.

Throughout scriptures, we come across various storms of life and how people reacted. We have people in the hall of fame of faith based on how they reacted to the various storms of life.  In this generation, a married couple without a child for ten years see that as a storm. Whether the man will leave the wife and get a child elsewhere or whether he will remain faithful, determines his reaction to that storm. Many graduates are currently unemployed after five or ten years upon completion. However, whether they will still trust God whiles they continue applying to companies or they will remain idle in the house believing God for a miracle determine their reaction to that storm.

There are various storms in life that i cannot make mention of in this piece. However, all you have to know is how to handle the storm when it comes. Let us look at these examples:

NAOMI (Ruth 1:1-6)

This woman was married to Elimelech, from the house of Bethlehem-Judah. Out of this lineage, the Messiah was meant to come. A storm of famine hit this city and it persisted. Whiles others remained and waited on God to change things, Naomi and her family decided to abandon their homes and enter the land of the gentiles. It was a good decision to make but the question is; was it the best? When you carefully study scriptures, you will know that this famine was as a result of open rebellion by the people of Israel during the days of the judges. Therefore, it meant that it was a direct punishment from God. Naomi and her family decided to run away from this , but she ended up suffering more than that. She heard that things had changed in her town after she had lost her husband and children. Every problem has an expiry date. It is better to face your challenges than to run away from it. God visited those who waited in the land whiles Naomi was away. She left with everything and came with nothing. Some people run away from the problem, though they know the cause. You will be shocked at the number of options you will get when a problem comes. It is a must to choose the right option before you fall into a worse situation.

THE DISCIPLES AND THE STORM (Mark 4:36-39)

After a wonderful crusade the disciples entered a boat with Christ. A storm hit the boat and they were all in a frenzy. Though Christ was in the boat, some started calling their river gods, whiles others did their incantations. They absolutely forgot the Messiah, who was sleeping peacefully. Many at times, we forget to call on God when we are hit by the storms of life. We try to use the economics we studied in school or the administration and others to turn the situation around. We rely more on our capabilities and forget about God entirely. You will never be afraid if you have Christ in your boat. When you push Him aside, you will allow fear to take charge of the boat.  The Messiah rebuked the storm and there was calmness, when He was called upon. In the storms of life, He is still waiting for you to call on Him. Never rely on your abilities whiles you push God aside.

DAVID (1 Samuel 17:32-37)

Goliath caused the men of war in Israel to be petrified due to his stature and how he boasted. He was feared by all. God´s people were intimidated by him for many days. However, there came a young, ruddy lad who faced the storm that God´s children were running away from. David faced this storm because he believed in his preparation and also He believed in God. He narrated to Saul how he had slain lions, bears and wild animals in the wilderness. This was to show Saul how prepared David was. He also believed that his God would deliver the enemy into his hands. That was how David faced that storm. Many at times, we face challenges and we only believe in our abilities. Many at times, we face the storms of life and we allow the weight of the matter, and how the issue presents itself, to scare us. The moment we are frightened, we lose faith in ourselves and our God. David saw the man who terrified God´s people to be like an ordinary person. He believed in his abilities and the ability of God and that caused him to win that battle. One lesson we fail to realise is that David prepared himself way ahead of time. He did not start training the moment he faced that challenge. That is the mistake we keep on repeating. We start preparation only when we face the storm and that always leads to our failure. Don´t wait for the storm before you prepare.

THE THREE HEBREW BOYS (Daniel 3:16-25)

These lads were required to succumb to directives that went contrary to their believes. They were told they would be burnt alive if they did not conform to those directives. However, the Hebrew boys made certain statements that we can learn from whenever we encounter the storms of life. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were not willing to sacrifice their faith for anything. They knew the outcome if they disobeyed the king´s orders but they were not willing to disobey God. To many people who are working, at times the storm you will face will be telling lies to make your boss look good or accepting certain norms due to where you are. These norms may end up being against your faith. To some, it is either you add some zeros to the figures or you are sacked. To others, it is either you have to tell a lie or the company is closed. Yes, i know this is a serious and a difficult thing but all i can say is this; know your God and never deny your faith. Some were martyred because they did not deny their faith and these people preferred to be in a better place after death. Moses chose to suffer the affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Hebrews 11:25

You will by all means encounter a storm in your life or career, one way or the other. How you embrace it determines your results. Never back off when the storms come. The dwarfs you fail to fight today later grow as giants that you still have to fight tomorrow. The stones you overlook along the way can become rocks that will impede your progress. Know how to face your storms and you will have good results. Don´t run way from the storm, call on God, believe in your abilities, prepare yourself ahead of time and never deny your faith. May God help stand the storms of life.When the storms come just know that you have an anchor that keeps the soul, steadfast and sure while the billows roll. This anchor is fastened to the rock which cannot move and also grounded firm an deep in the saviour´s love.