As a pastor, I have noticed that there could be two families in our congregation that appear to be pretty much the same:
- both families were faithful
- both families worshipped God vocally and actively participated in the church services
- both supported the church financially
- both volunteered to help work in the church
And at different times, both experience a major storm in their lives
When the storm hit, it became noticeably clear that these two families, as much as they were alike, were in fact, vastly different.
One family was not at all perplexed by the storm – while the other was completely devastated.
How can this be?
One family was totally prepared – yet the other was completely blindsided.
Does God favor one family over another?
The truth is – SOMETIMES WE ARE SIMPLY NOT PREPARED FOR THE STORMS OF LIFE!
- Jesus taught us that the storms of life come to everybody!
When you are going through a storm and others around you are not, it may seem like your situation is unique.
(1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV) (13) No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
(1 Corinthians 10:13 GNB) (13) Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps his promise, and he will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out.
- If you believe that your storm is different from the experiences of others, you are setting yourself up for a failure.
- The enemy of our faith, the devil, sends storms and the negative through processes that always accompany them.
(1 Peter 5:8-9 TPT) (8) Be well balanced and always alert, because your enemy, the devil, roams around incessantly, like a roaring lion looking for its prey to devour. (9) Take a decisive stand against him and resist his every attack with strong, vigorous faith. For you know that your believing brothers and sisters around the world are experiencing the same kinds of troubles you endure.
- Storms come to good people.
- It is not a mark of failure to have a storm.
- Do not spend one minute trying to answer the question: “Why is this happening to me?”
- If you want to ask yourself a question, do not ask it when you are in the midst of a storm. The time to ask a question is before the storm… and this is the question you need to ask:
Am I prepared for the storms of life?
The good news is that you can be prepared!
(Psalms 34:19 NKJV) (19) Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all.
(Psalms 34:19 BBE) Great are the troubles of the upright: but the Lord takes him safely out of them all.
(Psalms 34:19 TPT) Even when bad things happen to the good and godly ones, the Lord will save them and not let them be defeated by what they face.
- Jesus taught His disciples how to prepare for the storms of life.
(Matthew 7:24-27 NIV) “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. (25) The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. (26) But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. (27) The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
(Luke 6:48 NIV) They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came…
A careful look at these two men shows that they have more similarities than they have differences:
| Wise Man | Foolish Man | |
 | Heard the Word |  |
 | Built a house |  |
 | Experienced a storm |  |
 | Did the sayings of Jesus |
The foolish man heard the same word that the wise man heard – he just did not do it!
James teaches us the same truth:
(James 1:22-25 NIV) Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (23) Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror (24) and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. (25) But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it–not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it–they will be blessed in what they do.
What is James telling us? We look in a mirror to prepare ourselves because it shows us what to correct.
- Doing the Word is the process of making life-changing adjustments based on the teachings of the Bible.
- The person who hears but shows no difference in behavior is not a doer of the Word.
- You have a person who builds his life, career, marriage, etc. on sand shifting philosophies, cultural norms, changing feelings, and for a season everything seems to be OK.
- But after a time, a storm will come, and the pressures of life will expose the weakness of the ideas he built his life on.
- The person who hears but shows no difference in behavior is not a doer of the Word.
What does someone look like who is a doer of the Word?
- A doer of the Word allows the teaching of the Word to shape his thinking in every area of life.
- A doer of the Word does not adjust his moral compass to the norms of popular culture.
- A doer of the Word learns not to live by his feelings and emotions.
- A doer of the Word learns to know God by His Word and promises – not by the circumstances of life.
If we will purpose to pursue the word, it will give us power to make the changes and adjustments we need to make to stand against the storms.
(Philippians 2:13 AMPC) [Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.
The Word does not just tell us what to do – it gives us both the desire and ability to do what it says.
- Can you imagine a life without fear of the things that others dread?
- Can you imagine having the confidence to face financial struggles that once kept you awake at night?
- Can you imagine victory over the things that have held you back in the past?
- Can you imagine a life without panic?
- Can you imagine a life with the ability to laugh when bad news knocks at your door?
- Can you imagine a life with the ability to rejoice when all others are full of despair?