The Storms of Life

A storm is described as a violent disturbance of the weather with high winds and rain, snow, hail and/or thunder and lightning. 

This article clearly though is on the storms of life. 

Storms are usually unexpected. They just happen. It is the same with our lives. When storms of life hit us, they come with characteristics such as uncertainty, apprehension, anxiety, fear, sleeplessness, weight loss, anger, loneliness etc. One minute all is okay with and around us, the next minute it is darkness, pain and turmoil.  

Remember, just as storms do not rage forever, so also the troubles, challenges, crisis, pains etc. of life do not last forever.  

Here are nine things to help you or anyone you know through those storms of life. 

1. No one is exempt from the storms of life - The rich, the poor, young people, old people, educated, illiterate of all nations on earth go through storms.
2. You have a choice to either ride the storm or be consumed by the storm - If you give up during the storm, you get stuck there for life – making a temporal condition become permanent. So make it a point of duty to keep moving through the storm all the time. Never stand still, while in the mist of a storm. 
3. You must build your Storm shelter before the storm starts - By the time the storm hits, it’s usually too late to prepare. You must be intentional in guarding against things that could trigger a storm in your life. for example, be prudent and save. Yes, save for “rainy day”from what you may even consider inadequate.
4. There is a right protocol that heaven has laid down that must be followed when in the storm - Paul laid it down in Philippians 1:6. Do not to be anxious about anything, but in all situations, praise God by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving.Now, in a storm there is nothing to thank God for, but that is the protocol. How do you know you are working in that protocol? You will know if while going though painful situations you have that peace of mind that passes all understanding. People would marvel how in spite of what is happening to you, you could be so calm.  Remember Peter in Acts 12? After Herod had killed James, he got excited by the reaction of the Jewish hierarchy, so he went after Peter and arrested him and was going to try him the next day, and judgment was instant death. Vs 6 or so said that Peter was sleeping between two soldiers so deeply that the Angel that came to rescue him had to hit him to wake him up. Can you imagine the faith he must have in His God to be sound asleep knowing that he would be killed the next day? 
5. A storm is heaven’s training ground - That is why we have no choice in this matter. God’s priority is not to bless us. It is to mature us. The blessings are secondary things that go along with that objective. So heaven allows the challenges because it is like a school. God may reveal His plans to you, but He never reveals what you will have to go through to get there. God is not wicked. It is because He knows that there is something that is learnt through trials and storms that matures you. It is in the school of life that your faith is tested. I can confirm that I have learned more through trials and painful situations than I have when things are calm. 
6. It is important to have the right attitude in the storm - John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus Christ and also His cousin. But when they arrested John the Baptist and put him in prison, he would not have expected to be there for too long since he knew Jesus Christ. It is like being a brother or sister to the President of Nigeria or some other “big man” It would be most unlikely that you will be in detention for long, even if arrested for a crime. In this case, because Jesus did not come to rescue him, John the Baptist developed an attitude. He sent people to Jesus Christ, go and ask Him please, “Is he the one or are we expecting another?” What he was saying was, “if you are Jesus Christ  why have you not saved me?” But Jesus Christ  simply responded with, “go and show John what you see, go and tell him what you see, the blind see, the lame walk, the deaf hear etc. So tell him that no one holds the kingdom of God to ransom. The plan is going on as heaven intended.” So if you are also holding God to ransom, making statements like, “God, if you don’t get me that promotion or visa or husband by December, I will try other means”, you better get the right attitude back. Some of us say, “I pay my tithes, I give to all courses that is announced, vigil I go, fasting I do, prayer I do. So why is God allowing these to happen to me?” Especially when you see others that you perceive are not so involved seemingly getting “blessed”. You wonder why God is not showing up. You say no one cares about you, these people have ignored me, they do not appreciate my worth etc. That is the same as holding God to ransom. I assure you, God would not act. Because they are going through storms they develop an attitude instead of just begging and praying for mercy. I know that It did not work for John the Baptist because his head was cut off. The right attitude is that of Joy. Nobody, nothing must steal your joy. James in James 1:2 puts like this, “Count it all joy whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into temptation”. It is distinct from happiness.

7. The storm you are going through is not unique - The enemy makes you think that there is no other trial like what you are going through. That no one can understand your pain or trial because no one has experienced it. It is a lie of satan. The Bible says no temptation, no trial, no difficulty has occurred to you except what is common to man. That is why testimonies are good. You can see that the God who did it for this person can also do yours. If or she can go through, I also can go through. There is always a precedent, so there is hope. So what you’re going through is common to man. 

8. You can bear it - Because God is faithful. He will not let you to be tried beyond what you can bear. God never gives you more than what you can carry. Heaven has looked at you and seen that you can carry it. God always supplies the grace sufficient. Most people cannot wear my suit because it is a size 46 - medium (pretty large). In the same way our trials are tailor made. We don’t have the grace for the other person’s trials.  God tailors it well. That is why I know that what you are in now; you have sufficient grace for it. That should encourage you today.

9. The nature of a storm is that it is moving - It is never static. If you can just outlast the storm, it will pass. The intensity of the storm yesterday is not the same today, and will not be the same tomorrow. At some point every storm would reach its peak, and then it must naturally start to decline. The Psalmist says in Psalm 30:5, weeping may endure for a night, it might endure for a day, it might endure for a season, it might endure for a week, a year, 5 years, 10 years, fifteen years, but surely as God lives, one day, that storm must come to an end and the morning must come (emphasis mine).