In life there will be storms. Certainly there will be sunshine and rainbows, but make no mistake, there will be storms — and they will bring with them the winds of change.

One moment we are humming right along. Life is good. As the saying goes, all is right with the world. The next thing you know you’ve lost your footing somehow and everything appears to be spiralling out of control. It’s scary. It makes no sense. How do you regain control? That of course is the million dollar question.

The answer is nowhere to be found. You roam aimlessly with no answer in sight. The solution, as it turns out, is that we need to give up on the idea that we need full control (or that full and total control is even possible for that matter). I would submit that total control, in every instance is an illusion.

There will always be times in our life where we experience a lack of control. That isn’t to say everything is, or that we need just sit idle during life’s challenging times. Rather than succumbing to the idea that all is lost, keep in mind the importance of spending your time working on the parts of the puzzle you can, and the things that are out of your control, well, have faith that a much higher power than you is on your side, working out what needs to be worked out for the greater good.

I realize that not everyone is going to agree with the point I just made — which is perfectly fine. I share it based on my own life experiences of having seen on many occasions, where the pieces I could not control come together. Not always as I’d have initially envisioned them, nor even always preferred them to be, but always, in every way, ending up better off than they would had I attempted to be 100 % in control — and not been willing to relinquish control of the things I couldn’t. I’m fond of the old saying, “control what you can and let go of the rest.” If you can do that, you’ll undoubtedly find that life has an incredible way of filling in the details.

Friend, it is true that every challenging time we pass through, brings with it an opportunity to emerge stronger, better in some way for having overcome the challenge. I have seen it enough in my own life to know that without a shadow of a doubt it’s true. I bet if you will be completely honest, you would acknowledge it is true, and that you have seen it to be the case in your life as well. Right?

Whatever turbulent times you may be experiencing in your life right now, I hope you will take comfort in knowing that all storms eventually subside, and their ending brings with them sunny days, and beautiful rainbows.

Consider that even the great flood as told of in the Bible, the story of Noah and the Ark, eventually came to an end. Remember, the great devastation that was incurred because of the flood isn’t the only thing we remember about the story — far more powerful is the opportunity that came with its ending — when the final rains fell — the promise that things would begin again, to start over, to begin anew, better, with a brighter future. Greater opportunity followed the storm. And so it is the same in our lives.

Friend, strive to look beyond where you are now, no matter how difficult things may appear, remind yourself that this too shall pass, and clear skies are ahead.

Now get out there, to the best of your ability and set out to make it so!

It’s Your Life, LIVE BIG
Josh Hinds