Lessons to Learn From Storms of Life
By Tori Harris
We all go through what some call storms of life. Sin is in the world, and because of that life is not perfect. We all go through hard times at some point in our lives. I have had a life-threatening peanut allergy my entire life. Living with food allergies is not always easy. Because of my severe allergy, I must avoid cross-contact, which is the transferring of allergens onto other surfaces. Just that trace amount of peanut is potentially life-threatening for me.
Living with food allergies also means that I do not always have the best mental health. I have gone through times where I lived in a state of almost constant fear of having an allergic reaction. I became paranoid and overly cautious to avoid a reaction. It was difficult for me to trust people, even my own parents.
But I am relieved to say that I am getting better. I’m making slow progress, but baby steps add up to big results. I still have moments where I get anxious, but it’s nothing like I used to be. There are some important lessons to be learned from storms of life, and I want to share a few of them with you.
Storms of life draw us closer to God.
This is something we Christians have to remember. James 1:2 says, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials.” At first glance, this verse can be confusing. Why should we be happy about suffering? But if you keep reading and studying the Scriptures, you can see that James is telling us to be happy because our suffering will test our faith, help us grow, and draw us closer to God. “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him,” (James 1:12).
God cares.
God cares about His children. How do we know this for sure? John 3:16, a verse many of us have probably heard several times, says that He loves us so much that He sent His own Son (Jesus) to die for our sins so that we can have salvation. 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your cares on Him, for He cares for you.” Christians need to hold on to that. When one of us is struggling through a storm of life, God doesn’t say, “You’re on your own. Good luck.” No. He is our shepherd and we are His sheep. He cares, and because of that He takes care of us. Hebrews 13:5-6 is one of the most comforting passages I have ever read. “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
We have joy in Christ no matter what.
The words “joy” and “rejoice” are found in the book of Philippians sixteen times. The theme of the epistle is joy in Christ. The apostle Paul suffered so much for the cause of Christ, and wrote Philippians while he was in a Roman prison. If he could rejoice during everything he went through, I think we can too! Philippians 4:4 says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” As Christians, we need to stay positive. We are in Christ! We are saved! We are going to heaven! We always have a reason to rejoice and be positive, and there is always so much to be thankful for. When you look at all of that, why would you not want to rejoice?
I have covered three lessons that can be learned from storms of life: storms of life draw us closer to God, God cares, and we have joy in Christ no matter what. This article is only scratching the surface, and there is so much more to learn about each point, and more lessons from storms of life. When you are going through hard times, remember these things, and hold on to them. As a Christian, never forget that God is always there for you! Living with food allergies is not easy, just like any storm of life, but God has provided ways to get through them.