Perfecting Storms

For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.—2 Corinthians 4:17-18
Probably the most common storms we face in life are perfecting storms. These storms come into our lives as a result of following Jesus. But God has a work He wants to do and a desired result that He wants to produce in these storms. As 2 Corinthians 4:17 reminds us, "For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!"
Storms will come, and in the midst of them, God is doing a work. Sometimes you can see the work, and sometimes you can't. Sometimes that work is simply to conform us into the image of Jesus Christ. Quite honestly, a lot of storms are inexplicable. And when you get to heaven, you will understand why God allowed that storm and why that particular difficulty lasted so long. We can't control our universe. (I have tried, and it doesn't work.) We can't say when a storm will start or when a storm will stop. All we can do is react to that storm.
One of the greatest examples of this is found in the life of Joni Eareckson Tada who, as a young girl, dove into a shallow lake and suffered a spinal cord injury that paralyzed her from the neck down. Despite this severe, lifelong disability, Joni has encouraged millions of people. Now she is battling breast cancer. In an interview she said, "I keep thinking God is up to something big. How can I showcase Him to others?" She knows that her life is on display, and others are watching and learning by her response to these storms.
One day, every storm will have an end. And then, in the big picture, we will see God's ultimate plan and purpose.

GOD BLESS

Eng D. NJIRISI
(Author: )

See feedback for this article

Articles in this group

Archived Devotionals
egwe (Author: Karen Williams - Network Leeds)

His Grace is Sufficient
"Are you so foolish? After beginning with The Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?" Galatians 3:3, NIV (Author: )

Do Not Worry
"So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today." Matthew 6:34, NLT (Author: )

Beware of back-seat drivers!
"The Son of God appeared for this very reason, to destroy what the Devil had done." 1 John 3:8b, GNB (Author: )

Treasure in clay pots
"We possess this precious treasure, the divine Light of the Gospel, in frail, human vessels of earth, that the grandeur and exceeding greatness of the power may be shown to be from God and not from ourselves." 2 Corinthians 4: 7, Amp (Author: )

The 'Wave' Prayer
"But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted." Matthew 14:30, NLT (Author: )

God is in control
A man from Norfolk, Virginia called his local radio station to share this on September 11th, 2003, two years after the tragedies of 9/11/2001. His name was Robert Matthews. These are his words. (Author: )

Not Just Outward Appearances
"How terrible it will be for you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs- beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. .. (Author: )

A Lesson From the Spider`s Web
"Be self controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8, NIV (Author: )

Jesus is the cornerstone
"This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone." Acts 4:11, ESV (Author: )

Living under Full Power
"For this reason we also...pray for you...that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." Colossians 1:9-10, NKJV (Author: )

What Are You Waiting For?
"Then Peter called to him, ‘Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you by walking on the water.’ ‘All right, come,’ Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water towards Jesus." Matthew 14: 28-29, NLT (Author: )

Blessing and offence
"Blessed is the one who takes no offence at me..." Luke 7:23, RSV (Author: )

Obstructions or Opportunities
“And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?” When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” Luke 8:45, NKJV (Author: )

A New Identity
"O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires." Isaiah 54:11, KJV (Author: )

Loss
"For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes." Proverbs 24:16, NIV (Author: )

Put My tears in Your Bottle
"Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book?" Psalm 56:8, NKJ (Author: )

Waiting for God`s guidance
"Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him." Psalm 37:7, NIV (Author: )

Are You Jesus?
A few years ago, a group of salesmen went to a regional sales conference in Chicago. It ended later than they had expected... (Author: )

What's In a Name? Your Name?
Buddy Bear. Apple. Princess Tiaamii. Monroe and Moroccan. The spate of unusual celebrity baby names can’t have entirely passed you by, even if you’re not an avid gossip mag reader. (Author: )

Wrestling with God - daily devotional
kljkl (Author: )

Passivity - Daily Devotional
ssda (Author: )

Children of God - daily devotional
few (Author: )

Moses – The Come Back Kid!
4y34 (Author: )

Angels - Devotional
vdgwe (Author: )

Unless the Lord Builds the House - daily devotional
egwe (Author: )

A Quick Devotional - re: Work + God.
devotional (Author: )

Faithful and Wise servant - daily devotional
tgetye4 (Author: )

If you are not a Christian - a message of love
sdsbgsd (Author: )

Daily Devotional - The Narrow Path (1)
fegwe (Author: )

God’s Alarm Clock Sending a Wake-up Call by Ron Hutchcraft
God’s Alarm Clock Sending a Wake-up Call by Ron Hutchcraft (Author: )

Seeds of the Kingdom: I Will Guide You - daily devotional
gwer (Author: )