When life becomes difficult and the waves of life are crashing around us, our first response is “why me?”  What is God doing?

Acts 27:14 says “ …before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the “northeaster,” swept down from the island….”

Here in  Florida,  I know first hand what those hurricane forces can feel like and the devastation they can leave. But what I am talking about is what if there comes a “northeaster” in your life that is approaching and it looks like it is going to take you with it.

Some questions you may ask is What is the cause of this storm? and What is God trying to teach me?

1. Storms can come into our life because of our sin.

Psalms 32:3 “When I kept silent my bones wasted away through groaning all day”. This verse tells us if there is something in your life you have not repented, this can bring a storm in your life where God is trying to get your attention.

Act 9:5&6 Saul asks “Who are you Lord?” or, What do you want me to do? What do you want from me?

When storms head your way, spend sometime in prayer asking God is there is sin standing in the way between you and him.  Repent any sin.

2. Storms can come to us because he is Savior.

What does God want to do with our lives?
Isa 1:17 says “learn to do good and to do what is right”.
Sometimes God needs to show us what we can do (basically what we are made of), so we can then move to where he can use you.

I know personally there are things I have gone through in my life (pre-mature baby, financial hardships, etc…) that if someone would have told me before hand about these trials, I would have said “I could never survive that….” God knew what I was made of before I did and He has used me to minister to others; given me a boldness to speak his word. I have found that God is faithful, He is good, and He is there. But if I did not go through the storm, how would I have known, through Christ, I could make it? How could I encourage others that they too will make it?

It is here God can use some of our sin, after repentance, to further his gospel.

3. Storms can come to us because of relationships.

You can find yourself in the middle of a storm, but it may have nothing to do with you. God could be working on someone around you. Think about the fishermen that were in the same boat as Jonah. They were going through the hard storms with Jonah, but this had nothing to do with them. Joshua and Caleb still had to wait to enter the promise land, but the waiting had nothing to do with them. So what are you to do in that situation?

Heb 3:13 says “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today….”

If you are in the middle of a storm, but you know it has nothing to do with you, be an encouragement. Help the person going through the storm.  God has placed you there to pray for the other person.

This does not answer all our “why’s” but it gives us a direction when we are in the storms of life.  There are some things we may never know.  We do live in a fallen world and people have diseases, babies don’t live, and loved ones are taken from us suddenly.

Whenever the storms hit, God has a reason, God has a purpose and sometimes during those difficult times all we have to hang on to is our faith and God’s truth.

originally posted August 6, 2006