Storms of LIfe

Did you ever stop to think that most of what you do every day takes faith? 

By faith, you get out of bed in the morning, trusting that your body will stand you up!

 

By faith, you stand under the shower, trusting that hot water will come out of the showerhead!

 

By faith, you eat breakfast, trusting that what you eat will provide your body with the fuel it needs and that it will not be harmful to you!

 

By faith, you get behind the wheel of your car, trusting that it will start and take you where you want to go!

 

By faith, you go to the bank, trusting that your deposit will go into your account and will be there when you need it!

 

Every time you leave home, you believe by faith that you will return.

 

Faith is actually believing in what you know!

 

Do you know God? 

The amount of faith you have in Him is based upon how much you know about Him!

 

When life is smooth sailing, it's easy to trust God and have faith in Him, but what happens when the storms of life threaten our peaceful world?

 

 Several years ago, I planned a cruise to Bermuda with some friends.  We were ecstatic about the arrangements.  We would be sailing out of Boston so there would be no extra costs, like airfare or hotel fees, no restrictions on luggage.  A bus would be provided to take us to Boston and best of all, the cost of the cruise was very affordable.

 

So we made plans and preparations only thinking of sunny skies and sitting by the pool; smooth sailing, relaxing, enjoying the warm temperatures before the long Vermont winter.  When I left home on October 19th of that year, I had every expectation of returning on October 26th.



 

Who knew we would encounter a storm that would cause colossal sized waves to rock the "boat" like it was a toy?!? 
 

TVs were falling off the walls, dishes were crashing in the kitchens, waiters couldn't balance their trays and dishes of food fell on several unsuspecting victims!  The deck was closed, the elevators were closed and many, many people ended up confined to their quarters with severe cases of seasickness!  The water in the pool was spilling all over the deck and walking became a competitive sport!

  

In our room, the trash can was rolling around, cosmetics and toiletries were falling off the shelves in the bathroom and I even slid right out of my bed!

 

The Captain continually came over the intercom to assure us that things were fine and to give us updates on the storm.  This went on for a little over 24 hours.  Much to our relief, we eventually arrived safely in Bermuda several hours after the originally scheduled time!

 

Then when we finally got into Bermuda, I thought we were safe at last, only to get on a bus to head to the beach to find it driven by a woman who I swear was trying to qualify for the Indy 500!  I said, "God, did you save me on the high seas only to kill me here in the hills of Bermuda?"

 

God was building my faith and increasing my prayer life, for sure!!

 

Life's journey is a lot like that.  We envision sunny skies, warm temperatures, smooth sailing, relaxing and enjoying life.  Little do we know of the storms ahead!

 

When the storms of life come - where do you put your faith?  In whom do you put your faith?

 

Christians and non-Christians alike - we are not guaranteed sunny skies, warm temperatures, and smooth sailing!  Sometimes, as Christians, we think walking with the Lord is our guarantee of a good life; a guarantee that nothing "stormy" will happen.

 

But, rest assured - the storms will come.  What happens when they do?

 

Is God the God of the storms as well?

 

In Matthew 8:23-27, Jesus calms the storm and his disciples are amazed and said, "What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!"

Indeed, what manner of man is He? 
Is He worthy of our trust? 
Is He worthy of our faith?

 

The storms of life come to draw us closer to the Lord, to build our faith and to increase our knowledge of Him.  Each time we come out of the other side of a storm, we are strengthened and our faith builds to face the next storm. 

 

Don't be surprised at the storm. 

Face it with faith in God and the fact that He is who He says He is!!

 

Notable quotes:

 

Even God's will can take us on a rocky journey.

 

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.  It's about learning to dance in the rain.

 

God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage!