The Storms of Life! - Part 1

A storm is described as a violent disturbance of the weather with high winds and rain, snow, hail and/or thunder and lightning. This week though, the Corona virus is my context, because what we are all going through is a storm.

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, uncertainty, fear, pain and turmoil.

Remember, just as storms do not rage forever, so also the troubles, challenges, crisis, pains and pandemics do not last forever.

Over the next two weeks, I will be sharing nine things to help you and I through the storms of life, drawn from my faith, though universally relevant.

Today, I will start with the first five, and conclude next week, so that this email will not be too long.

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. In the case of COVID19, we are all in it together, with no exception.
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. In this one we are in, feed your faith and not your fear, and explore opportunities for value out of the pandemic.
3. You must build your Storm shelter before the storm starts. By the time the storm hits, it’s usually too late to prepare. That is the experience of most of humanity at this time. However, there is still time for preparation for the aftermath considering imminent economic challenges that woods follow. So this is not the time to be wasteful of money. It’s also the time to learn new skills and explore multiple sources of income to augment fast weakening value of the national currency. 
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, I would not blame you if you’re unable to find things to thank God for in this pandemic, but thanksgiving 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 for you and I. 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 like this pandemic season than I have when things are calm.