James 1:2 - 4
"whenever you face trials of many kinds...know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance".
How do you prepare?
Preparation is the foundation of success. Knowing what your preparation consists of gives you insight into what your potential outcomes can be.
What intrigues me the most about the verse that says, "whenever you face trials of many kinds", is that single word - whenever. It doesn't say if you face trials; it say whenever. That they're inevitable, they may be on their way, already, happening, or soon coming to an end.
So you have to ask yourself: What am I doing to prepare and withstand the test of time?
I don't know about where many of you, but here in Cincinnati, Ohio, we have this time of year called winter. During winter, it often snows, and the temperatures drop. Around that time, I find myself glued to the television, checking the weather forecast. I'm trying figure out two things: First, whether my kids will have a snow day. Second, If I have to go to work - what kind of road conditions and traffic will I have to face on my commute?
Now, when there's a major snowstorm coming, the salt trucks usually work through the night, preparing the roads for the morning commute. That's the kind of preparation we must have in life. We have to anticipate the storm - the blizzard, the thunderstorm, the challenge - however it may come and whenever it may come.
Will you be prepared?
See, the salt on the road doesn't stop the storm from happening. It doesn't cover the ground in a protective layer. What it does do, is make the road safer and manageable to travel.
So I ask you...what is your salt?
In life, we can't prevent the storms, but we can prepare for them. We control our commute and how we move through adversity. Even when the road seems clear, we must still proceed with caution, because there still can hidden dangers...those slippery patches we call "black ice". It's often the things you can't see that can cause the most damage.
Be cautious, Be conscious, Be Prepared!