The folks that live in Florida, along the Eastern coast and the Gulf Coast know very well the damaging power and force that a hurricane can bring. The high winds, the downpour of rain, the tidal storm surges. Hurricanes can be devastating and deadly.
Using the analogy of a natural hurricane, let us think about the hurricanes of life, which come to everyone, including those who are God’s children.
Nowhere in the Bible does God promise that the Christian life will be all roses. Nowhere in the Bible does God promise that the Christian will get everything they want in life.
The truth of the matter is that the Christian life will include pain, suffering, grief and loss.
Some believe that only Satan brings trials and hardships upon the lives of Christians. However, God allows all of these for our benefit. The benefit of growing in faith, trust and dependence upon Him.
We need go no further than to look at the life of the Apostle Paul. Paul wasn’t wealthy with the benefits of the new “prosperity gospel.” In fact, Paul depended on the early Church for his support and sustenance.
Paul was beaten because of his faith. Paul was imprisoned because of his faith. Paul suffered from a malady that he referred to as his “thorn in the flesh”, which he prayed three times for God to remove from his body. We know that God did not remove Paul’s thorn in the flesh.
Through all of this, Paul became the vessel that God needed at the time. Paul didn’t lose his faith through all of his trials. No, to the contrary he grew into the man God needed at the time. His faith, trust and dependence on God never wavered.
We could also look at the lives of the other Apostles and see the hardships and sufferings they endured.
Going back to the truth of the matter, we Christians will face trials and hardships.
When we think about natural hurricanes, we know that the right side of the storm is usually the most dangerous as it moves counter clockwise onto shore bringing rain, ocean water and storm surge with it. This doesn’t mean to imply that the left side of the storm is a piece of cake, because it is not.
The Eye Of The Storm
The only place where you will be able to see the sky and find peace and calm is in what is called the “eye” of the hurricane.
The eye of the hurricane is in the center of the storm, with horrible devastation all around. However, if one could remain in the eye of the hurricane, they would find calmness, peace and safety.
How do we apply this analogy to our Christian walk?
As we journey on our spiritual walk with God, the storms of life will howl around us. We will be subject to storms that are devastating and will test our faith and trust in God.
Throughout our life and the storms that come, we should strive to be in the center of God’s will. To remain in the center of God’s will requires obedience, praise and thanksgiving even as the storms batter us. It also requires that our faith and trust in God and his plan for us never waver.
As Paul and the other Apostles exemplified, we must trust and depend on God always. Have faith that His will is best for us and thank Him for all things; the beautiful days as well as the stormy days.
It is in this “eye” if you will, the center of God’s will, that we will find our peace, comfort, contentment and strength, no matter the category of the hurricane. Remembering always that His grace is sufficient for our needs.
RVH