today are even less likely than their parents to attain the wealth and fame they seek.
Monetary realities are far bleaker for this generation than what their parents experienced. . . . These young people may well be dreaming when they envision futures filled with money and fame. 3
In fact, all of us are “dreaming” when we put our hope in a life without trouble, tribulation, or sacrifice. We want to be rich and famous in order to finance or finagle our way out of storms. Christians often think that way too. We hope that becoming a believer will give us a “get out of trouble free” card. Who needs courage when we can simply escape into comfort and ease?
In Psalm 23 we eagerly read, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” (v. 6 esv) without considering the courage it takes to “walk through the valley of the shadow of death” (v. 4 esv), trusting in God’s purposes, relying on His strength, learning huge life lessons through hardship.
Although the world turns a blind eye, consider the following two aspects about life’s storms.
STORMS ARE INEVITABLE
The truth is, life is
not
easy. At the same time, some lessons in life can only be learned the hard way, for it’s through the fire that true character is forged. Even Jesus, the perfect Son of God, suffered for the purposes of maturing and proving. “Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered” (Heb. 5:8).
And because Jesus suffered, “We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses” (Heb. 4:15), but rather we have a High Priest who not only prays for us but who anchors us when storms come.
When we spend our time believing that we should have nothing but blue skies, we are dangerously unprepared when storm clouds gather. We try to deny or outrun bad weather, but when it is unavoidable, we should face the storm, drop anchor, and courageously hang on to hope.
And we must never forget we are not alone or ill-equipped to face the storm. “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness” (2 Pet. 1:3).
STORMS ARE NECESSARY
All the virtues—what Paul called the fruit of the Spirit (“love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control,” Gal. 5:22-23)—are only lofty concepts until they’ve been tested under fire.
How can we build up courage without being afraid? How can we develop perseverance without being weary? How can we become merciful without being wronged? And how can we come to trust everything to God’s steadfast love unless it seems our very lives depend on it?
CALLED TO DUTY AND ALMOST DEATH
At the intersection between hardship and hope stands a present-day hero. Sam Johnson grew up in Dallas, Texas, and began a twenty-nine-year career in the U.S. Air Force at age twenty. 4 He eventually served as Director of the Air Force Fighter Weapons School (“Top Gun”). During the Korean War, Sam flew sixty-two combat missions and named his F-86
Shirley’s Texas Tornado
after his wife Shirley.
Returning to the United States, Sam flew with the world-renowned Air Force Thunderbirds precision flying team. But as the Vietnam War intensified, Sam was called back into active duty.
On April 16, 1966, during his second tour of duty, Sam was flying his twenty-fifth combat mission in his F-4 Phantom when a barrage of enemy fire sent his plane spiraling downward over North Vietnam. He survived the impact but suffered a broken arm, dislocated left shoulder, and broken back—injuries his captors exploited in their constant efforts to gain information from him.
LEG STOCKS AND LONGTIME PERSECUTION
Sam spent nearly seven years as a prisoner of war, including forty-two months in solitary confinement. Held in the infamous Hanoi Hilton, he spent seventy-two days in leg stocks. When that torture ended, he was forced into leg irons for two and a
Monetary realities are far bleaker for this generation than what their parents experienced. . . . These young people may well be dreaming when they envision futures filled with money and fame. 3
In fact, all of us are “dreaming” when we put our hope in a life without trouble, tribulation, or sacrifice. We want to be rich and famous in order to finance or finagle our way out of storms. Christians often think that way too. We hope that becoming a believer will give us a “get out of trouble free” card. Who needs courage when we can simply escape into comfort and ease?
In Psalm 23 we eagerly read, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” (v. 6 esv) without considering the courage it takes to “walk through the valley of the shadow of death” (v. 4 esv), trusting in God’s purposes, relying on His strength, learning huge life lessons through hardship.
Although the world turns a blind eye, consider the following two aspects about life’s storms.
STORMS ARE INEVITABLE
The truth is, life is
not
easy. At the same time, some lessons in life can only be learned the hard way, for it’s through the fire that true character is forged. Even Jesus, the perfect Son of God, suffered for the purposes of maturing and proving. “Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered” (Heb. 5:8).
And because Jesus suffered, “We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses” (Heb. 4:15), but rather we have a High Priest who not only prays for us but who anchors us when storms come.
When we spend our time believing that we should have nothing but blue skies, we are dangerously unprepared when storm clouds gather. We try to deny or outrun bad weather, but when it is unavoidable, we should face the storm, drop anchor, and courageously hang on to hope.
And we must never forget we are not alone or ill-equipped to face the storm. “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness” (2 Pet. 1:3).
STORMS ARE NECESSARY
All the virtues—what Paul called the fruit of the Spirit (“love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control,” Gal. 5:22-23)—are only lofty concepts until they’ve been tested under fire.
How can we build up courage without being afraid? How can we develop perseverance without being weary? How can we become merciful without being wronged? And how can we come to trust everything to God’s steadfast love unless it seems our very lives depend on it?
CALLED TO DUTY AND ALMOST DEATH
At the intersection between hardship and hope stands a present-day hero. Sam Johnson grew up in Dallas, Texas, and began a twenty-nine-year career in the U.S. Air Force at age twenty. 4 He eventually served as Director of the Air Force Fighter Weapons School (“Top Gun”). During the Korean War, Sam flew sixty-two combat missions and named his F-86
Shirley’s Texas Tornado
after his wife Shirley.
Returning to the United States, Sam flew with the world-renowned Air Force Thunderbirds precision flying team. But as the Vietnam War intensified, Sam was called back into active duty.
On April 16, 1966, during his second tour of duty, Sam was flying his twenty-fifth combat mission in his F-4 Phantom when a barrage of enemy fire sent his plane spiraling downward over North Vietnam. He survived the impact but suffered a broken arm, dislocated left shoulder, and broken back—injuries his captors exploited in their constant efforts to gain information from him.
LEG STOCKS AND LONGTIME PERSECUTION
Sam spent nearly seven years as a prisoner of war, including forty-two months in solitary confinement. Held in the infamous Hanoi Hilton, he spent seventy-two days in leg stocks. When that torture ended, he was forced into leg irons for two and a
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