Enduring Life’s Storms: 3 Ways to Do It!

Holding on when facing challenges in life? Of course, it is not easy. After all, hardship will surely bring situations that are very unusual. Like being on a ship in the middle of a fierce storm, where there is only danger and despair from every direction. In situations like this, giving up is the easiest choice.

However, difficult as it is, enduring through hard times must be done. Not only enduring, but also overcoming. Overcoming doubt and despair.

Someone Who Once Endured

A close friend of mine once felt the weight of life’s storm when it struck.

In 2021, when Covid-19 was still rampant, he lost his job. He was so desperate that he almost gave up. How could he not be? A wife who did not work, plus two children who were still in school. Moreover, it was the start of a new school year. 

At the same time, his first child needed a computer for school. How could he meet that need? Meanwhile, the other needs kept going on.

Remarkably, my friend did not give up. He worked whatever honest work he could to provide for his family’s needs. He cast aside all shame. He did everything for his family, including using his severance pay to buy a computer for his child.

What makes me admire him, hardship did not lessen his love for God. He remained eager in worship and in helping introduce Christ to others. 

The good news is, about 6 months later he was called back to work at his previous company. My friend did not give up in hardship. He endured.

Want to Endure? How Do You Do It?

My friend’s story above can become a lesson for all of us. When the storm hits, our attitude in facing it will determine our lives later on. The choice is to give up or endure.

If we want to endure through seasons of life that are full of challenges, the steps below can help us.

1. Surrender to the Father

Is there a power far beyond human ability? God is the answer. Sadly, we often forget.

When I see the brightness and heat of the sun, I am reminded of its Creator, Almighty God.

Psalm 8:3-4 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place: 

what is man that You are mindful of him? The son of man that You care for him? 

Like the Psalm above, the heavens, the moon, and the stars are God’s creation. It is God who arranged and set them all in place perfectly. He is the Almighty God, yet He still pays attention to us, His human creation.

If God is that great, should we remain consumed by worry? Should we give up and despair? It is only fitting for us to surrender and endure. 

Psalm 55:22 Cast your burden on the LORD, and He will sustain you! He will never let the righteous be shaken. 

That is the key: surrender every चिंता into God’s hands. God will act. He will take care of our lives . 

2. Do Not Stop, Keep Running!

When the waves of life crash in, we may be tempted to stop trying. When it seems there is no hope left, nothing left at all, should we stop and do nothing?

A hero will never win if he stops fighting and gives up. That is also the attitude we should follow. We need to keep pressing on through this life . Do not let challenges bring your steps and your steps of faith to a halt!

Pausing for a moment to pray and surrender is good, but after that we must run, keep acting. We need to keep trying and not lose heart. There are still creative and right ways to continue life. 

As long as there is breath, as long as there is God, there is always still a way and hope.

1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run in such a way that you may obtain it!

Stopping will cause us to be swallowed by the waves. Running will enable us to save ourselves from the tsunami of life.

3. Keep Guarding Your Heart

There are two things that usually happen when the storm of life strikes. We either become stronger and more mature, or become more wicked. What does that mean? When we do not guard our hearts, we can grow more wicked. We become ungrateful, complain a lot and curse God, and doubt His power. That is when we become vulnerable to the devil’s temptation.

At such times, we need to keep guarding our hearts. When life is very hard, we need to guard our hearts more intensely.

Proverbs 4:23 Guard your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. 

Where do all things in life begin? In our hearts. Thoughts, words, and even actions all come from the heart. That is why we must keep guarding our hearts, especially in the midst of hard times.

When difficult circumstances strike, do we still guard our hearts? Do we still believe that God will fulfill His promise, and bring us out of hardship?

Guarding the heart will give us the strength to endure. 

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Enduring through hard times is clearly not easy. Storms come upon us without warning. At that moment, we need to choose: will we despair, or will we hold fast to God?

Together with God, believe that we are able to endure challenges-challenges that exist!

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• “Lord, I Have a Big Problem!” – When Despair Strikes
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