There are storms in life—and they could be devastating, depending on how we prepare ourselves for them. We are warned, “When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever” (Prov. 10:25). It can be gleaned from this verse that both the righteous and the wicked will be subjected to the same storm. However, it is our right standing before God that will determine whether we will survive the storm or not. It is God who will shield us in times of trouble. No amount of effort on the part of the wicked to weather the storm will help. We are told, “No one can be established through wickedness, but the righteous cannot be uprooted” (Prov. 12:3).
But why would God allow a devastating storm to come to his people? When Job was dealing with the storm of his life, he had a discourse with the Lord. We are told that “the Lord answered Job out of the storm” (Job 38:1). God allowed Job to go through the storm to reveal his awesome power and make known his plans. For as long as we are connected with God, no matter how strong the storm or typhoon is, we shall be able to stand our ground. Job’s case proved exactly this and his life ended beautifully. It is for this reason that the apostle Paul admonished believers, saying, “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught” (Col. 2:6-7). The Lord Jesus should be the foundation of our lives, so that we shall not be uprooted.
Being rooted and grounded in the Word pays. It is rewarded in many ways. Again, the Book of Proverbs states clearly that “though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes” (Prov. 24:16). The reason a righteous man is able to recover again and again is that he is standing on solid ground. His faith in the Lord and his willingness to repent bring him to his feet again. On the other hand, a wicked man is described in the Book of Psalms as “like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous” (Psalm 1:4-5). Clearly, the wicked has no firm footing, but is standing on slippery ground. It only takes one calamity—and then he is gone.
The Lord Jesus Christ further magnified the blessing of being grounded in the Word. In his Sermon on the Mount, he said, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash” (Matt. 7:24-27). Evidently, righteousness through the Word is not attained by just listening to it, but by actually obeying it. Until they are tested, both believers and unbelievers will appear to be safe and secure. It is the storms of life that will bring to light those who have the right foundation and will survive.
Believers should have more confidence in weathering the storms of life in view of the good promises of the Lord. The Lord said, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour” (Isa. 43:1-3). Indeed, the storms will come, but we shall overcome them all by the grace of God. We only need to trust in the Lord and build our lives in him. We have to be wise builders so that we shall be able to stand firm. Hallelujah!
