Living Above Our Storms: Part 3 - The Reasons For Storms In Our Lives Series

THE REASONS FOR STORMS IN OUR LIVES

Reading Text: Proverbs 6:23, Romans 8:28-29

INTRODUCTION

As stated in our previous teaching series, no one is exempt for the storms of life. Trials, tragedies, and misfortunes will come to the righteous as well as the unrighteous (Matthew 5:45), the wise as well as the foolish (Matthew 7:24-27), the committed as well as the uncommitted (Luke 6:46-48). Therefore, we must learn how to rightly handle our storms.

Some common questions that we all ask are:

• What are the reasons for storms coming against us?

• Why does God allow trials, tragedies, and misfortunes to come our way?

In answering these questions for myself, I’ve come to the conclusion that there are three main reasons why God sends storms our way:

1 Storms Help To Expose The Heart

The first reason for storms is that storms help to bring to the surface the real person. Circumstances that are hard and difficult will bring out the best and worst in people. When the terrorist attack happened to our nation on 9/11, we saw this timeless truth acted out right before our very eyes. Some of the greatest acts of heroism were demonstrated by New York’s Fire workers and Police force. It is not when everything is going right, but, rather, when everything seems to go wrong that the real person on inside rises to the surface. Trials, tragedies, and misfortunes have a way of exposing the true heart of a person.

Proverbs 6:23, in the New King James Version, tell us, “Reproofs of instruction are the way of life”. The American Standard Version reads, “And reproofs for discipline are the way of life”. And the New International Version says, “ And the corrections of discipline leads to life”.

To reprove means, “to expose, to surface, to correct”. Yes, the LORD uses the circumstances in life to expose, to bring to the surface the things in our hearts, with the intent to correct us and to bring us back on track.

How do you respond when things go wrong? Do you establish a strong testimony for Christ or do you allow the enemy to steal your opportunity to glorify Christ in the midst of your storm?

2 Storms Help To Open The Heart

The second reason is that storms help to open the heart of man to God.

In the past few decades, there were some huge storms that hit our nation of which were Hurricane Pamela, and Hurricane Katrina, to name a few... (and, yes, not to bias about gender, there was big bad Hurricane Andrew, too). Here in the islands, we have had our share of storms as well. There was Hurricane Iwa, and Hurricane Iniki.

One of the key spiritual points we can learn from storms is that, it is in the midst of difficulties and hard times, that hearts become open to the LORD. (The reason for this is that people will quickly realize in the midst of a huge, gigantic storm, how small and powerless they really are!)

Have you ever been in a big storm where the winds and the rain were so intense it knocked out the power in your area and left everyone in the dark? When that happens we quickly realize how dependent we are on electricity and now, suddenly, in a quick moment, how little we are and how powerless we’ve become. The truth speaks on this wise, the bigger the storm the smaller and powerless we feel. Storms are good in that they help us to see who really holds the power and who really is in charge. Storms helps us to see how big and powerful God is, and how little and powerless we are. Most people think to high of themselves and to little of God.

Pharoah had this problem. He thought he had the power and he was the one in charge, that is, until God shook his kingdom up with the ten plagues. (Exodus 7-13)

Nebuchadnezzar, had the same problem. He thought he was so high and mighty... until God took away his reason and sanity. His personal life, his wealth as well as his health, was shaken for seven years. Nebuchadnezzer was able to regain himself, but only after he humbled himself before the God of heaven and repented of his sin of pride. (Daniel 4)

King Herod, also, had this problem of thinking to highly of himself and to lowly of God. (He was, simply stating, someone who is full of self!). He knew that Jesus was the greater king and that meant he needed to humble himself by getting off his throne and allowing Jesus to now rule in him. He knew what he needed to do, but sadly, he simply chose not to do it. (Matthew 2)