How to Prepare for the Storms of this Life

1 Thessalonians 5:9-24

If we’re honest, we all secretly (or not so secretly) hope for the easiest life possible. We find comfort in the idea that if we do everything right, plan everything perfectly and follow all the rules, then life will be easy. No one will ever get sick. Nothing bad will happen to the people we love. We won’t ever face hardship or setbacks.

The truth is, however, that God never promised those things. He never told us that if we’re good, nothing bad will ever happen. He does tell us that He will make everything beautiful in its time. He tells us that He will work everything out for good for those who love Him. He tells us that He knows the plans He has for us…plans to prosper us and give us hope and a future.

Every single one of these truths brings me so much joy, as I’m sure it does for you as well. They show God’s love for us and His desire to take care of us during hard circumstances. But that’s the thing we sometimes miss. Sometimes hardship and difficult moments have to happen first before God can work everything out for our good, and before His perfect plan can be fulfilled. That doesn’t mean He doesn’t love us, it just happens when we live in a broken world, and sometimes it just works out that way.

So, today, I wanted to discuss the idea of preparing for these moments. I know we don’t like thinking that anything bad would happen, but I believe not doing so is what gets us into trouble. We can’t ignore what might happen and, in the end, we’re more hurt because of it. To give you an example, think about facing a Tornado. We wouldn’t wait until there was a tornado coming at your house before believing there was a possibility that a tornado might actually happen. No! We prepare by making an action plan, right?

While the figurative storms we face might not be as plannable as tornado season in Oklahoma and Arkansas, we must face the facts that they are bound to happen. Therefore, to comfort your heart, here are 5 steps that I’ve found have helped strengthen my faith so that my heart was ready to face my toughest moments.

Below you’ll find a list of the 5 steps and a brief video that gives a little background about 1 Thessalonians 5, as well as a more detailed description of each step. As I mention in the video, this chapter of the Bible is actually discussing the “Day of the Lord” (the day Jesus comes back), but I believe there are still many lessons to be learned from this piece of scripture concerning how we as Christians can learn to live joyfully no matter our circumstances.

Praying these steps and my words can help strengthen your faith for both the good and bad days to come. Remember friends…no matter what we face, there’s always something to be thankful for. God is in control and He loves you more than you’ll ever know. Trust Him, friends. Praying for you today and always.

5 Steps for Strengthened Faith to whether the storms – 1 Thessalonians 5:9-24

1. Know what you believe (v. 9-10)
2. Live with an Outward Perspective (v. 11-13a)
3. Practice a Christian Mindset (v. 13b-15)
4. Focus on filling our hearts with Love, Thanksgiving, and Purity (v. 16-24)
5. Trust God’s Promises (vs. 24)

God is faithful in all circumstances, and “He will surely do it.”

Love in Christ,

Helen Elizabeth