Navigating the Storms of LifeNäide

Truth

Three of the storm-navigation tools God’s given us are truth, wisdom, and faith. They don’t answer the question, ‘Why am I suffering?’ But they do give us ways to keep moving through life’s storms far better than if we just keep thrashing about with our false expectations and sense of entitlement, our lack of preparation, or our self-preservation.

Maybe, despite your best efforts and intentions, you’ve been given a raw deal – and you’re angry. The truth is, we’re saved by faith and blessed by obedience. But when we twist the gospel – telling ourselves we’re saved by obedience and blessed by faith – we end up expecting a life of perfect weather. It becomes all about us: our good works which entitle us to God’s favour, and us mustering up enough faith to expect God’s blessings. Then, when things don’t roll our way, we’re mad at God for being unfair. Except, God never promised life would be fair. Here on earth we all sail different seas. Each of us has a unique context – unique ways in which life has been unfair to us. We should absolutely fight for justice in our societies, but we’re setting ourselves up for disappointment if we expect life to be unilaterally ‘fair’.

Accepting the truth that life’s unfair doesn’t mean we’re always waiting for the next disaster. (We’re called to be people of hope and joy, not doom and gloom.) It just means we shouldn’t be surprised by suffering: it’s part of our royal inheritance as sons and daughters of a King who suffered far more than we ever will. When we know the truth about who and Whose we are, we’re less likely to become deflated or cynical about the inevitable difficulties of life because those storms won’t shift our identity, earthly purpose, eternal destiny, or opinion of God.

Knowing the truth about God’s character – who He is, what He’s like, and how He relates to us – anchors us in the storm. The better we know God, the easier it is to trust Him. Then, when nothing about our circumstances makes Him look like a good God, we’ll know the truth, and the truth will steady us. To prepare for life’s storms, the most powerful and effective thing we can do is get close to God, spending time with Him and learning the truth about Him from His Word. Perhaps your circumstances make it hard for you to believe God is perfect in wisdom, power, and love. And yet, the truth is that nothing can touch your life without His permission. And the truth is that shock, grief, disappointment, betrayal, or any other trial or tragedy can’t separate you from His love. When storms (unfairly) hit Job’s life, he recognised the truth that his hope should be in God, not in the weather conditions of his life. In the end, the storms didn’t shake his identity, beliefs, or relationship with God.

We live in a broken world and suffering is inevitable – that’s just the truth. But getting to know the truth about who God is and how He works in your life will better prepare you to bravely face hardship. Though the world is constantly in flux, the unchanging truth of God’s Word is an immovable anchor in the storms of life.