Storms that prepare us...

. . . after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 1 Peter 5:10 NKJV

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23

Psalms 23 about Jesus being our Shepherd.

Consider your life, your day today.  The moment right now before you.  It has been said that if you are alive that is a gift from God.

But take a step back.  Look again.  Troubles in your life?  Storms even?  Is it peaceful for the moment?  Are you anxious?  Have the storms been around a while?

As Scripture also says about being a tree firmly planted, roots only go deeper in adversity.  Storms cause the roots to go farther down.  What you are experiencing now you couldn't a while ago.

Consider that while I add this thought.  God is faithful.  In the storm, Jesus didn't go sit in the boat while Peter was out on the water. He didn't just command him to come then leave him to fend for himself.

Jesus is always with us, no matter what the circumstances.  It may not seem like it, but it would honestly be oh so much worse than it is if He wasn't.

So storms are needed, Jesus is faithful.
Add this...He is the Shepherd.  While the sheep think they know what they are doing, He DOES know what the sheep need to be doing.  

Jesus and the Holy Spirit are directing, guiding and teaching the believer.

Things don't make sense?  Newsflash, most things in life probably won't.  We are not making things of us, Jesus is. He has and is the image of what we are being made into.  It's going to take storms and peaceful times to change who we are into what we are meant to be.  To create a masterpiece takes time.  To make changes that last takes time.   We were never promised a fun always peaceful time after coming to Christ.  The thief on the other cross wasn't immediately removed from his ordeal to go serve.  He was told to be patient, soon He would get through this and be with Jesus in paradise.  That was all the theology he would get and need. Jesus was with him in his storm.

Jesus is with us in our storms.  Faith is what got Peter out of the boat.  Faith is what was with that thief.  Faith was what was with a Jewish tax collector who became a Disciple named Matthew.  Jesus said to take up your cross and follow Him.  To follow where our Master goes, as His Disciple means to weather the storms that He does, to endure the world not understanding, like they didn't understand Him.  To realize that while there will be hard times, that He is faithful and will be there with you.  You will grow.  You will grow stronger. 

So while we almost always pray to be kept safe from harm and pray to be out of the things that are hurting us.  It's those things now that we weren't ready for a while ago.  It's those things now that will help us when the next storms roll our way. Confidence not in ourselves but in the one who watches over us and is at work in us.