No reasonable and right thinking person will ever run his car into another person’s car as well as run over any one. However, we have heard of situations where men did it because they wanted to do it deliberately, out of revenge and others did it because they were drunk and not paying attention. You and I have experienced situations that happened suddenly and it took us a while to come out of it.
Many of us have lost our loved ones, jobs, properties, opportunity suddenly which were beyond our control. When things happen suddenly, they leave us devastated. No circumstance or issue of life, apart from a few comes to knock on your door that they are coming your way. They usually come and happen suddenly with a shock. Recently, on our way back from work (my colleague and I), a vehicle came from behind and hit the side of the door of the car as my colleague was alighting from it. The incident happened suddenly and the door of the car was damaged. We ended up spending money and over 2 hours 30 minutes at a mechanic workshop to get it fixed. The situation happened suddenly and we spent time and resources we never planned to spend.
Matt 8:23-26 says:
23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him.
24 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep.
25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!”
26 But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
27 So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”
In the above scriptures, we see that Jesus and his disciples were in a boat traveling and a tempest, storm, wind (challenge, issue of life, etc.) came suddenly. Jesus was asleep when this happened but his disciples came to inform him because they were scared. Jesus was calm even in the midst of the panic and the storm but his disciples were scared, anxious and nervous. He calmed the storm and his disciples were amazed wondering what kind of person he was. The experience taught me that challenges will definitely come our way whether we are Christians or not, whether we are rich or poor, fat or thin, black or fair, man or woman and boy and girl. Everyone will face one issue or the other whether you wish it or not.
If you know what to do at that point in time, it is a plus and it will determine what you will do and how fast the issue will be resolved. But for people who get anxious easily, they may get the issue resolved, but it will take a lot of time and pain resolving the sudden challenge. I believe there are things we can do to resolve sudden storms of life. Below are some ways we can handle things that come our way suddenly:
You have to be calm to face any storm if not, you will end up aggravating the storm and frustrating yourself. Jesus was calm when the disciples came to wake him that they were perishing. The storm did not get him agitated but he was calm. You have to be calm to face any storm of life and see the solutions to them (Matthew 8:23-24).
Wisdom is a key virtue everyone needs have. It helps you face issues and it also makes you know what to do, think and say when the storms of life come suddenly. Proverbs 4:7 says that:
Wisdom is the most important thing; so get wisdom. If it costs everything you have, get understanding.
Also Ecclesiastes 7:12 NCV says: “Wisdom is like money: they both help. But wisdom is better, because it can save whoever has it.
Ecclesiastes 7:12 NIV says:” Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this: Wisdom preserves those who have it.
Ecclesiastes 7:12 NLT says: “Wisdom and money can get you almost anything, but only wisdom can save your life.
Ecclesiastes 7:12 ESV says: “For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it”.
Ecclesiastes 7:12 NABS says: “For wisdom is protection just as money is protection, but the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors.
Ecclesiastes 7:12 NKJV says: “For wisdom is a defense as money is a defense, but the excellence of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to those who have it.
The above versions of the scripture explain the importance of wisdom and what it can do when you are faced with challenges.
Furthermore, your foundation is very important. A foundation is the first and most important stone in a building. The kind of foundation you lay determines the kind of structures you will build on it and it also determines the kind of challenges and storm the building can withstand. Your building has to fit into the foundation you are building. If Christ is your foundation, you will not be swept off your feet when issues, persecutions and trials come because He has promised that He would never leave nor forsake us. He has also told us that as long as we are on earth, troubles will definitely come our way but we should not give up because he has overcome the world.
Matt 7:24-29 say: “24 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. 25 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. 26 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. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
Also, whom and what you trust determines what will happen when the storm of life comes. If you put your trust in people and things, they may fail you in the time of storm. But you should put your trust in God who is the creator of the heaven and the end. Jeremiah 17:5-9 say: Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the Lord.6 For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, And shall not see when good comes, But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, In a salt land which is not inhabited. 7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord.8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.
Lastly, many people do insurance to mitigate against and transfer any risk, loss or sudden storm. This is very good but many people still do not know the importance of insurance and believe in insurance. Insurance has helped so many people when crisis came their way and it can help anyone when crisis comes suddenly.
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