Life comes with storms.

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on  them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.  25  "And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds  blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had  been founded on the rock. 26  "Everyone who hears these words of  Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on  the sand. 27  "The rain fell, and the floods  came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great  was its fall." Matthew 7:24-27 (NASB)  

A storm is any potentially or actually calamitous situation that God allows to come our way. When we enter one of life’s “storms” we may feel pressure and/or fear for our safety. Most of the time our first inclination is to escape from the danger as quickly as possible, but if we learn that it is in the storm that we can discover who Jesus really is, we may change our strategy.

Storms reveal how solid is our foundation of faith. Are we relying on God’s promises or our feelings? Do we truly believe that God is sovereign over our affairs or just an onlooker? Do we think that God is bigger than our suffering or not? Are we controlled by faith or fear? All these things come to the surface very quickly when we enter a storm.

The disciples, who were in discovery mode regarding Jesus’ identity, entered just such a situation as they rowed across the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had fallen asleep before the storm arose and continued to slumber, despite the increasing intensity of the wind and waves. The disciples, all experienced fishermen, feared for their lives. It must have been a severe tempest. When their fear outweighed their competence as sailors, not knowing what else to do, they awakened their Master and informed him of the situation.

The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. The storm stopped and all was calm! 25  Then he asked them, “Where is your faith?” The  disciples were terrified and amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked each  other. “When he gives a command, even the wind and waves obey him!” Luke 8:24-25 (NLT)  

Here are some principles we can derive from the above passage that can help us survive and thrive in the storms that God allows in our own lives.

1. Calm your soul in God’s presence. If Jesus is not upset, why should we be? Take your cue from the Lord. Listen to the voice of God’s Spirit when you are in the storm. He will tell you what to do.
2. Think about who you are and God’s purpose for your life. If the disciples had given some thought to their situation, they would have realized that the Messiah was not going to drown. God also will guard our lives and keep us safe as long as we are supposed to be here on planet earth.
3. Remind yourself of God’s power and sovereignty in your life. God is in control of every situation. Faith in his sovereign power is essential, if we are to remain at peace during the storm. Remember Romans 8:28: God is working all things for good in our lives.
4. Pray for God to be glorified in your situation. This is the fatal dagger we can thrust into fear. When God’s glory becomes our goal, fear has to go.
5. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal more of Christ to you. If we have eyes to see, ears to hear, and an understanding heart, the Holy Spirit will open our eyes to see who Jesus really is. He is more than a man: He is the Sovereign Lord. A storm is an ideal place for us to have our understanding enlarged.

Are you going through a storm right now? Don’t panic. Turn to Jesus and ask him to handle it for you. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your spiritual eyes and enlarge your faith. Don’t miss the opportunity. Don’t waste your storm.