In the book of John, Chapter 16 verse 33, Jesus told his disciples: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. ... In this world you will have trouble. ...’
Isn’t it interesting that in the same sentence where Jesus mentions peace, he also talks about mankind having many troubles? But note how he tells his disciples their peace will come – ‘in me’. Peace in the storms of life can only be found in Jesus.
Last month saw the UK battling three dangerous storms in the space of about 10 days – Storms Dudley, Eunice and Franklin respectively. No sooner had these storms subsided than the Russian invasion of Ukraine erupted. All against the backdrop of a continuing pandemic!
All of these happenings can leave us in a state of constant panic, wondering what is coming next. But ‘storm-readiness’ should be our default state because Jesus makes it clear that the world is full of troubles.
When there is a warning of an impending physical storm, people act quickly. They stock up on supplies of batteries, water, canned goods, and other necessities. They keep vulnerable places well boarded up and map out where to go in the case of evacuation.
Sometimes we don’t have advance notice when the storms of life hit. It could be a job loss, sudden illness or injury, death of a loved one among many other possible things. Therefore, since the timing of trouble is so unpredictable, it is important to always stay prepared and ready. We can’t sit back and wait until the storm comes.
Being ‘storm-ready’ means remaining rooted in prayer and the word of God. In other words, having a strong relationship with Jesus. In him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28). Christ is the immovable and solid rock. He is our refuge in every storm. Stay connected to him and when the storms of life hit, you can be assured that the refuge that he provides is one that can never be blown away, however powerful the storm.