Don't Go Through It In Vain

"Don't be a survivor of the storm, be a student of the storm" -Pastor Steven Furtick

How many times have you heard someone talk about being a "survivor"? A survivor of pain, trauma, broken hearts, drama. We pride ourselves on going through something, and being able to come out on the other side. As I thought about this recently, I wondered how many of us learned the valuable lessons that our pain and drama was sent to teach us? The thing about God is he's a patient teacher. The Bible refers to God as long suffering, he patiently endures, but the lessons we fail to learn don't magically go away, they show up over, and over again until we finally get sick and tired. So are you merely a survivor of the storm, or are you a student of the storm? Let's break down the difference. Surviving is existing, and getting by. Students thrive, they think and live abundantly. Surviving can be a drag, and a chore. Students are able to find joy, peace, and strength through the right perspective. The thing is surviving something doesn't guarantee you that you won't have to go through it again. People survive diseases only to find that years later it comes back (sometimes even more aggressively). People survive physical traumas, only to have to then contend with the mental health aspect of it. Being a survivor in and of itself won't suffice.

How do we become students of our storms? The first thing you have to do is observe. Look at the situation. What are you thinking and feeling? Allow yourself to feel it, don't deny or minimize your feelings. Next you should examine your feelings. what are you going to do with what you've observed? Given what you've observed what can yo do to change your life for the better ASAP. Next you need to be prepared to act on what you've observed, and examined. This is where most of us get stuck. Feelings like fear, doubt, and comfortability set in, and before we know it we've spent more unnecessary time in a bad situation. In every storm I ask myself 'what is God trying to tell me"? Ask yourself what is God trying to show you now that will be necessary in the next season he's taking you to? Any delays in your learning will equal a delay in you getting to the next season. Don't let your storm be in vain. Be determined to learn, and understand everything you can about your storms. Thrive, grow, increase. Don't be a survivor , be a student!

Be Blessed & Be a Blessing