Storms of Life

"The difference between school and life?  In school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test. 
In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson." 

Tom Bodett

As we live life and travel the road with ups and downs, it becomes apparent that we can learn a lot through these situations, if our focus is not on the difficulties, but on God.  Oswald Chambers said, "We have to pray with our eyes on God, not on the difficulties."  Our perspective when we go through rough times allows us to either learn in the situation and become better for having gone through it or we become more inclusive to ourselves with bitterness and anger over the situation.  When this happens it's hard for God or anyone else to reach us.

Of course, we must realize that problems & difficulties in life are not punishment from God, but just part of life.  The only perfect place besides Heaven was the Garden of Eden and we sure messed it up.  So, with that big mistake of a lifetime comes wrong/sin, death, illness and all the bad in the world.  Understanding this helps us to answer questions like...Why is this happening to me?  

Many people say that life is like this...you are either headed for a storm, in a storm or coming out of a storm.  What you allow yourself to become through these storms is up to you.  God is constantly working in our lives and even in the darkest times, we can see the small joys that He brings our way.  He may seem late at times when you want things to hurry up, but the truth is He's not late because He never went anywhere.  He never left you. 

Wherever you find your life right now, remember the opportunity to learn through these storms.  Just as it's so beautiful when the sun begins to shine brightly through the storm clouds and you know it's almost over, hold on through the difficulty and look to God in the horizon and watch for the clouds to move aside as the sun begins to shine.  You will appreciate the sunny days so much more.