“As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.” Luke 8:23 (NIV)
Why does God allow storms to come into our path? God is more concerned about our character than our comfort. His passion is for us to become like Christ. If God allows a storm, He will use that storm to reveal Himself and to refine our character. There are some things you learn in a storm that you cannot learn on the calm sea. The storm provides the environment in which we learn to trust God by taking Him at His Word. We learn to view our circumstances from God’s perspective.
The disciples were in great danger from their personal perspective. While the storm was raging, Jesus was sleeping. Jesus knew the outcome before they even set sail. Jesus oriented His life according to the Father’s agenda. God’s will supersedes any storm and any distraction. God will accomplish His plan in the midst of life’s storms.
Your character development matters to God. The friction of each storm in your life will be guided by the hand of God to sand the rough edges from your life in order to perfect Christ in you. If God allows a storm to come into your life, He will orchestrate the movement of that storm to conform you into the image of Christ (Rom. 8:28-29). God works in all situations to bring you into perfect union with Christ and to effectively portray Christ through your life.
Every storm has a season and is used of God for a divine reason. What storm are you in? Have you detected the loving hand of God at work in the midst of the storm to produce Christ-likeness in you? Maintain God’s perspective while you trust His provision to see you through.
Pursuing God,
Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor