A Storm Reveals Your Preparation

  Throughout our lives, we’re exposed to many things…things that incite joy, love, excitement, and happiness…also, they incite hurt, disappointment, depression, negative self-talk, and anger. It’s our reaction to these things that dictate the outcome.

  At the end of the day, we have to live with the choices we make in response to what we’ve been exposed to. Will I give power to the hurt and anger? Or will I fight to find the the joy, the silver lining? Do I respond in haste and let the chips fall where they may? Or do I pray for help in navigating this storm? Do I continue to use the vices that temporarily numb my reality and feed the negative self-talk that I’d become familiar with and somehow found comfort in? Or do I challenge myself to discover the spiritual vices I was designed with that will help me find silver linings, wisdom and growth without hurting myself or others? Do I want to continue to succumb to the negative whispers of the enemy and believe I don’t deserve better? Or do I want to discover the desires of my heart, which He promised He would give to ALL who seek Him? 

  God promised us that we would have troubles in this life…and these troubles can result in heartbreak, betrayal, and loss. He also promised, though, that He has given us the tools needed to endure and walk to the other side of those troubles. So as horrible as these troubles are, we can take a little comfort…not only in knowing that each of the troubles that we face were strategically assigned by God, but that He has already navigated the path to the other side of them.

  It’s true that He’s given us the freedom to choose what our reaction will be…we can choose to be hurt or taught…and we have a lifetime of experiences to reflect on that will help us learn what worked and what didn’t. It’s during this reflection that we are challenged to see where His love lies in the midst of our storms…and that is the grace He has given us to wake up to a new day and recognize the opportunity to do something different. I’m not naive to suggest that this is an easy thing to do. For me, it took over 40 years of beating my head against the same walls before coming to this realization. But I promise…it’s worth it if because my troubled journey led me to Him, and with Him is where I discovered the strength, the power, the love and the wisdom He created in me. 

  As long as we still live and breathe, the storms will surely come…that fact is outside of our control. What we CAN control is our response to them. When you look back over and reflect on your life, you will see that who and where you are is a result of every choice YOU made…it’s not a result of your circumstances. The circumstances were written into your story as catalysts He would use to water the seeds He carefully planted at different times throughout the span of your life…with a purposed intent of those seeds blossoming and you discovering the gifts He breathed into you. 

  So, before you respond, think about what the other side of that storm can potentially look like and then ask yourself, do I want to find strength, wisdom and growth? Or do I want to find the same mindset that existed when the storm arrived? 

A Storm Reveals Your Preparation…are you prepared?