Enjoying Life in the Midst of the Storm. How Can We Do It?

One day, I was enjoying videos about competitions in surfing around the world on YouTube. Because it was so interesting, for weeks I kept looking for videos about surfing amid the highest waves in the world. 

I, who cannot swim, felt amazed by their skill in surfing amid the great waves that came rolling in. Not once did they feel afraid, much less intimidated. They even enjoyed the arrival of the waves and looked forward to even bigger ones so they could surf with agility. 

Looking more closely, those waves reminded me of life itself. Aren't there times when the problems that come in life are like ripples of waves in the sea? Sometimes the waves are small, then a moment later, unexpectedly, big waves come crashing down. Big problems strike too. 

And most people are not ready to face the big waves in their lives. If possible, we feel like simply disappearing so those problems will not touch our lives. Or we choose to run away to avoid them. Like the saying goes, running from reality. 

But unfortunately, disappearing or running from the fierce waves in life will never be the best way out. Why? Because perhaps in the future we will face the same thing again. For example, we run from a job where the people are irritating. Is there any guarantee that in a new office we will not meet irritating people?

What we need to do is face it and learn to enjoy life in the midst of the waves that crash over us. Of course we want to have a life that can be enjoyed, right??

Let us see what the Bible says about responding to bad situations in our lives.

2 Principles for Enjoying Life in the Midst of the Storm

1. Bad Days and Good Days Are Both Important in Life

On a good day be joyful, but on a bad day remember that God made that day as well as the good day – Ecclesiastes 7:14

Who really does not want a smooth life, without problems, and without suffering? Of course, we want to live good and beautiful days every day. No bad days, because they can disrupt your emotions, feelings, and thoughts. And perhaps they may also drain your sweat and tears

But the writer of Ecclesiastes, Solomon, says that both good days and bad days are made by God. And we know that all that the Lord creates surely has a good purpose for us. He advises us to rejoice when the day is favorable. But on a bad day too, do not stress out, just face it. Remember that a bad day can also become a valuable experience. 

Why Are There Bad Days?

I remember a quote that for years has helped me enjoy and be grateful for bad days. 

“Never regret a day in your life. Good days give you happiness and bad days give you experience. Both are essential.” – Laurie Buchanan

Which means, never regret a day in your life. Good days give you happiness and bad days give you experience. Both are equally important.

What would happen if we only experienced good days without understanding what bad days feel like? Perhaps we would become someone who is arrogant. We would feel that we could control everything in life. Everything could be arranged to suit our desires. If every day were a good day, perhaps we would become people who rely on ourselves and no longer rely on God. 

Jonah also experienced this bad day. In Jonah 2:7 it is written, “When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the LORD, and my prayer came to You, into Your holy temple.” Being alive inside the belly of a fish for three days made Jonah realize that he needed God and could not run from Him.

Without bad days, perhaps we would no longer need God. Bad days make us learn what it means to depend on God, be humble, ask for advice, and for God's help. Therefore, let us enjoy every day in our lives. Take the wisdom from it and allow God to teach and shape you through those good and bad days. 

2. Good Things and Bad Things Last Only Temporarily

Have you ever felt that life is so heavy, often accompanied by worry and despair?

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow has its own troubles. Each day has enough trouble of its own. – Matthew 6:34

The verse above reminds us that we do not need to worry. You can also take time to read the whole passage titled, “Do Not Worry” in Matthew 6:25-34. 

There is a quote that also helps me greatly in this matter:

Everything in life is temporary. So if things are going good, enjoy it because it won’t last forever. And if things are going bad, don’t worry. It can’t last forever either. – Unknown

Everything in life is temporary. If everything is going well, enjoy it, because it will not last forever. And if something is not going well (badly), do not worry. That too will not last forever. – Anonymous.

Responding to Bad Things in the Right Way

Life does not always go the way we want. Through good things and bad things, let us learn to enjoy this life. This does not mean that we simply stay still and do nothing when bad things happen. 

For example, life is already entangled in debt, marriage on the verge of divorce, yet we remain silent and just enjoy it. Of course, we may not even be able to enjoy a situation like this. Then what should we do? We must fight to do something to improve our lives. 

Everything in life must be fought for. Good things do not just come by themselves, and neither do bad things. When life is going well, we need to train ourselves to be grateful. When life is not going well, we also need to strive to improve the things that are still within our control. Especially if the bad things we receive are the consequence of our own actions. We need to repent, just as Jonah did (Jonah 2:7)

However, while we do our best part, do not let worry keep us from enjoying the life God has given. 

“Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.” – Vivian Greene 

A surfer does not complain when the waves crash over him. In fact, the bigger the waves that come, the more skilled the surfer becomes. Is there anyone who surfs on a calm sea? No. 

The same is true of our lives. Sometimes, difficult seasons cannot be avoided. However, without problems, perhaps we would also become people who do not grow. But how we respond to them is a choice. Good days and bad days, both are allowed by God to happen so that we can enjoy life, be grateful, and also continue to depend on God. And of course, they make our lives full of color. 

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, persevere in prayer! – Romans 12:12 

References: www.coolnsmart.com/quote-everything-in-life-is-temporary-so-if-46740/ www.goodreads.com/quotes/132836-life-isn-t-about-waiting-for-the-storm-to-pass-it-s-about www.twitter.com/tueswithlaurie/status/1096821454149058560 -  Related Articles:

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