Why Storms in our life? The reason behind them and God's purpose?

General Faith
1

Was wanting to do a lesson on Storms in people’s life. And getting some of your thoughts to why storms happen and why does God allow them? And what are some consequences of going through life storms? And most, of what God teaching us.? I know many will bring on their own storm themselves, Such as Jonah, David and so forth. I also know that Jesus tells us in John 16:33, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” Jesus promises us that we will face trials and tribulations in this world, but because He has overcome the world, we can trust Him in the midst of the storms.

Here are some examples of Storms, and I know there’s more.

Perhaps it was a phone call telling you there has been an accident, and you needed to come to the hospital.

Or A parent whose daughter is battling cancer, and a widow who hates going home to a lonely empty house after church.

And a young man who just left rehab for the third time.

Losing your job and counting down the days of losing your house.

Watching a parent doing a slow fade into Alzheimer’s

These are some examples of Storms in people’s life, we know there are thousands more. And there are questions people ask, WHY! Was wanting some of your thought’s.

Thanks for all of your thoughts!

2

Now this is just a great question, because ALL of us are affected by storms, and they can be so confusing. Many might automatically assume that God is punishing them, or doesn’t love them, and so on.

Like Joseph’s brothers, we recall past iniquities and assume that God is finally taking His revenge on us.

I don’t think there is a blanket explanation that covers the cause of every storm. But here is one that I don’t see mentioned much, and my belief is that it probably covers most.

We first go back to our purpose for even being on this earth for a blink of an eye. Because a relevant question that we might ask is this - “If God knows all, and He knows who will believe and be redeemed, why not just create us in Heaven and skip all the pain?”

I believe that the truth is, God does know, but He also wants everyone else to know. The scriptures in many places point out that God doesn’t merely know something to be true, but rather He SEES that something is true. Jesus didn’t say “I always do what My Father “tells” me to do” (or guides Me, or impresses Me, or teaches Me, etc). He says “I do what I SEE my Father doing.”

Job is our example. Here is a guy, faithful and righteous in all he does. And on a challenge from the devil, God allows the most destructive storms in his life that have ever been recorded. And the whole universe now gets to see how he responded, despite even his own wife telling him to “curse God and die!”.

Can we imagine his reward in Heaven? A truly great man. The history of his greatness set in solid stone. No one can question for one single second whether he deserves all of the rewards, honors, and glories that He bestows on Job, for ETERNITY!!

We know what a great man Job is, because we SEE what he did, through the storms in his life.

And so it will be for each of us. Scripture tells us to rejoice and be EXCEEDINGLY glad when we are beset by storms all around us. Because we can count on great reward when we enter into our real life, that never fades, rots, or causes any distress.

Life on this earth can be very very hard. It’s supposed to be. It’s our opportunity to demonstrate what sort of person we choose to be. And everyone else will get to see who we choose to be as well. The Bible also promises that we will not be tempted or tried beyond our abilities. So God knows how much we can stand, and where our breaking point is.

He knows we can do it - survive and thrive in spite of the storms. He just wants everyone else in the universe to SEE us do it, and thereby win glory for Him and rewards for us.

Great question - thanks!

Your brother

3

I agree there isn’t one answer as to why we experience storms in our life. Sometimes it’s to teach us something we would otherwise not learn. It can be to test our faith or to experience the faithfulness of God. Sometimes we can look back and see exactly what God was doing and why. Other times we still don’t know or can know this side of heaven. It’s through my personal storms that I’ve grown in my faith and knowledge of Jesus. They were extremely difficult trials and I wasn’t thankful at all when I was in them. Now I can see what they did for me and more importantly, I can see that Jesus was there the whole time.

The first book I read when becoming a Christian was by Corrie ten Boom called The Hiding Place. She was a middle aged Dutch woman who ended up in a concentration camp because she and her family hid Jews in their home. She writes about the horrors of that camp and what she and her sister went through. Yet, God was always present with them and sometimes in miraculous ways. Still, she came out of that camp (her sister died in there) with the knowledge, “There is no pit so deep that God is not deeper still” and that was her message as she travelled the world with the gospel afterwards. This is the message I learned as a brand new Christian.

I believe that God always has a purpose in our trials and even in the ones that are our own fault. There’s something for us to learn in them. Some character trait to refine or something that grows our knowledge of Him. I have always found Him faithful and it seems to be a lesson I continually need to learn.

1 Like
4

God made life more difficult because without difficulties every imagination of our hearts become only evil continuously.

5

The mystery of suffering:

This is Paul’s perspective. The context of this passage is tribulations (storms, as you say). The Apostle reveals to us “the mystery” of these tribulations had been made known to him by revelation (apocalypse) (Ephesians 3:3).

"To me (Paul), who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship (mutual sharing) of “the mystery”, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church (in her tribulations) to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.

Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory." (Ephesians 3:8-13 )

KP

6

This world is dominated by the devil himself. The world hates God. Therefore, the world may very well hate you for His sake. It really is not more complicated than that. When you are of the world, and you are doing the things of the world, the world loves you. But now you are no longer OF the world. But you are still in it. So the world HATES anything that has anything to do with God.

Look at Job. Job lost everything. Money, property, family, friends, and lastly, his very health. Talk about trials and tribulations? The story goes on that Job was always faithful and never cursed God. Not only did he receive all he lost, but many times more. And, we are STILL talking about him to this very day.

Did the devil ask to tempt the drunk? The Prostitute? Did he say he wanted to tempt the King? The leader of the Synagogue? No. He wanted some poor, average, everyday guy named Job. Why? God said, “that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil.” He was a child of God. Before we could receive the Spirit. That’s saying something. He knew God well, and God loved him. Therefore, the devil hated him.

Look at Peter. The only other one in history to walk on water. Jesus told Peter that Peter would deny any knowledge or association with Jesus three times before the rooster crowed three times. On the third, Jesus looked at Peter, and Peter ran away.

Look at Paul. Seriously? Paul was Saul before he was converted. Equal to a Jihadist in every way. Then Jesus appeared before him and asked him to follow Him. He said yes, and became Paul. So great a saint that he wrote a lot of the New Testament that we read today. Did he have trials and tribulations? I guess you could say that.

Put in prison over and over. Faced death over and over. Received 39 lashes from the Jews 5 times. Beaten with rods 3 times. Stoned one time. Shipwrecked 3 times. Spent a day and night at sea. And was in continual danger from rivers, robbers, and his own people. Was always in danger in the city, in the country, at sea, from those he thought to be brothers. Often hungry and thirsty, cold and naked. I guess you could say he had some trials and tribulations. 2 Corinthians 11:23-28

You see, no matter what was going on in the negative sense to Paul, his first concern was always the Church. Was always God and His Will.

What all these have in common is this. In the middle of their trials and tribulations, they never lost sight of the goal. They never lost faith. They understood that if they did not choose to forsake God and His Will, God would never forsake them. They did not respond to the trials and tribulations by their flesh. But by their spirit.

I think one of the easiest explanations on how to deal with things that will pop up in your life is by James. In James 1:2-4,5-6,12-16

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Trials and tribulationd s will come.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.”

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.”

It is important for one to not only hear the Word, but to do it. To seek out God’s purpose and plan for your life. What does it profit a man to receive a great gift, then not use it? True faith is not being religious. It’s not about going to Church once a week and hearing God’s word, singing hymns, and going home to live as you will. True faith is not simply following the traditions of man, but having a one-on-one relationship with God Himself. With Jesus. Allowing the Holy Spirit to guide you in all things.

Truth is, if you are doing God’s Will, God is on your side. If you are led by the Spirit, the Spirit is with you. If you are following Jesus, Jesus is with you. If God be with you, who can be against you? Who can succeed in stopping you from doing what God has ordained you to do? Truth is, no one can. Nothing can.

Trials and tribulations will come. Rejoice and be glad when they do, for in these times, is when God is closest to you. Trust in Him. Rely on Him. Never lose faith. Never respond to these things in the flesh. But remain in the spirit. Allow God to show you the way through.

Peter

7

Thanks for all the replies. Keep them coming>