Have you been overwhelmed on the field?

You envisioned your life a certain way, but the storms of life threw you off course. Maybe you dreamed of a happy family, but singleness, infertility, or death haunt you. Maybe a loved one battles sickness or an estranged relationship weighs on you.

How can life be so different than we imagined?

In my life, I wonder why trials keep coming. Am I doing something wrong? God, do you really love me? Why are others blessed with easy lives?

What is the secret to surviving the storms of life? The key is in 1 Corinthians 10:13.

First, PROBLEMS are ORDINARY. There are no new difficulties under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9). Someone, somewhere has experienced your problems and made it through.

Second, GOD is FAITHFUL. God will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). The God of the universe loves and cares for us.

Third, GOD knows our LIMITS. When trials bombard our lives, they catch us off guard. They upset our normal patterns of life. We wonder how we will handle one more thing... then another. Yet, God knows exactly how much we can handle. He allows problems to make us more like Him. They refine us and purge the impurities out of our lives (James 1:2-5).

Finally, GOD provides the WAY out. God didn't promise a life free of difficulties, but He promises a way of escape through the storms. The way out may be removing the trial completely or giving us strength to endure it (2 Corinthians 12:9).

We can take comfort that problems are temporary and God’s strength is perfect.

So when life doesn't go the way we want, we can remember that trials are common to everyone. God is faithful. He will not give us more than we can handle, and He will provide a way to make it through. As we toss and turn in the sea of adversity, may we have hope in God’s faithfulness.