Being Hammered by the Storms of Life? Read This

When we are at odds with another person or going through other storms of life, we long for an escape from the conflict immediately. Sometimes, no matter what we say or do to remedy a situation, it is met with opposition. It is during these times that we must put into practice and believe with our whole heart the following scriptures:

Psalm 46:10 BE still and Know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
This says we have ceased striving with a situation or person. We were ill at ease and now we are at ease. Be still in your actions, be still in your mind, be still in your spirit. What's left in you is your mighty faith in the God that is all knowing and all powerful.
This is all that remains and yet it is all you need and more than enough.

Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

We like this passage of scripture, but we would rather it come to pass in real time.
Instantaneous, when we are being hammered by the storms of life. But friends, seldom if ever does this happen.

All things work together means even the BAD things that happen to us in our life walk. The bad that we have in our life, God turns for our good. We don't need to look any further than the story of JOSEPH for evidence of this.
Genesis 37:
4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.
The story of what they did to him:

24 And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it. 25 And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.
26 And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? 27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.
28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
29 And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes. 30 And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?

31 And they took Joseph's coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood; 32 And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son's coat or no.

33 And he knew it, and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.

34 And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.

35 And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him. 36 And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard.


The story of Joseph and his struggles:
His brothers were jealous of him. This drove them to fake his death and sell him off as a slave.
Joseph didn't do anything to deserve this. He was born and beloved of his father but that was all it took for his older siblings to detest him and wish him ill.
What his siblings did to him was addressed by Joseph at the end of the story, "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive". Genesis 50:20

The good that came from this situation was Joseph raised to one of the most powerful and mighty men in all of Egypt. He was raised up from his struggles and woe by his own faith in the mighty power of God. He saved many from famine. But how did he get to that place from being tossed into a pit and sold off as a slave? By knowing that ALL things work for good to those who love God.
No, this passage of scripture wasn't written at that time, but I know it was written upon the mind and spirit of Joseph as well as other saints down through the ages well before it was penned by the Apostle Paul.

Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

If we have within ourselves the ability to wait for someone, this means we have faith that who we're waiting on will come through for us, otherwise it's not worth the time wasted.
Now if you have more faith in yourself than God, you are in trouble. We are but men and women, but he is the one who made us. When I am at my weakest point, it is then that I recognize the power he alone can give me. Through his spirit, I can do all things. And this goes back to the scripture: I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:13

When the storms of life are tossing us to and fro, we must:
Wait upon the Lord. We're told that our strength will be renewed if we do. We will mount up with wings as eagles.
Listen friends, this sounds like a change for the better in our circumstances, doesn't it to you?
That could mean being catapulted out of the depths of depression and sorrow, grief and despair and launched into health, joy, peace and wellness!

They shall run and not be weary:
This is showing that what would exhaust those who don't wait upon the Lord: running, being busy, etc, keeping up the pace of our frantic lives, will not wear us out! This applies to both the spiritual as well as the mental and physical parts of us.
Walk and Not Faint
I believe this mostly pertains to our walk. Our feet carry us into many circumstances and into many places we sometimes never should have been. Just think about the places we go, the people we meet and must deal with. It is God through his spirit that provides us with strength for our journey of life. Try as we might to get by without him, we will fail at every turn.
It is not in man to order or direct his own steps, we are to follow the direction of his truth, his word, his spirit , if we truly desire peace, wholeness and joy.