DIFFICULT situations, hardships and other challenges – sickness, financial crisis, and family problems, etc. are the storms we face as we go through our lifetime. We often refer to our lifetime as a journey and hope that we reach our destination.
Not temporal but a life hereafter. It depends on what we mean by our destination. If we mean a successful career, or acquiring wealth, or fame and receiving adulations from all corners of the world, we refer to a temporal destination. Having been created by God, would mean to us a destination to a boundless and timeless world where eternal life awaits us. When we refer to storms to our life's journey, let us not mean only a temporal destination for that 'life hereafter.' Let us stretch this journey to recall that world of our first parents – Adam and Eve. They were tempted to go against the will of God. In disobeying Him, they committed the original sin. But God in His boundless love for us whilst at the same time giving us a fair chance to decide for ourselves, has meant this world to be a testing ground for us to be worthy to be in that timeless and boundless world hereafter. In this testing ground, we meet the storms – they are the challenges in their varied forms, some, heavy downpours that could be brutal. How we face and resolve them are the prelude to the final chapter of our life. Let us not forget, that in the history of our salvation, Jesus, the only begotten Son, upon the will of the Father, came down to redeem us, giving us the chance to enjoy that boundless and timeless world hereafter. For every victory, there is need of hard work. Thus, these challenges in our life's journey are necessary bumps in our quest for the boundless and timeless world to deserve eternal life with our Creator. 'Despite their brutality, they can help us focus on building God's kingdom and lead to eternal glory. Symbolically then, storms represent transformation, cleansing, chaos, fear, and renewal.' Chin up, 'facing life's storms can be challenging, but there are ways to navigate them with resilience and hope.'