Finding a hired hand was a problem for an Atlantic coast farmer. The regular ocean-borne storms made most people dread working on his property.
I can sleep when the wind blows, a short, thin man told the farmer one day.
The farmer hired the guy because, although perplexed, he was also desperate for assistance.
The small guy performed admirably and worked hard. But gale-force gusts blew in one evening. Fearing for his cattle and crops, the farmer went to rouse up the tiny man in his bed.
The farmer yelled, “A storm is coming!” ‘We must secure everything before it blows away!’
There was no need to worry, the tiny man answered, rolling over. Wind blows, and I can sleep.
Frightened was the farmer. The farm was secure, he realized as he was going to fire the tiny man. Tarps covered the haystacks, the cows were in the barn, the hens in the coops, and all of the doors and shutters were tightly closed.
The little man had been ready for the storm, the farmer thought. Nothing to worry about because he has handled everything.
Returned to his chamber, the farmer turned in for the night. Notwithstanding the screaming wind outside, he could sleep peacefully since he knew everything was protected.
Principle of the Story:
The lesson of the story is that we need not fear anything if we are ready. The small guy had done everything ahead of time, so he could sleep. Becoming ready for life’s storms allows us to do the same thing. We may firmly believe that God will look after us and base our lives on His Word. Then, even in the face of the prevailing winds of life, we can sleep sound.
How to be prepared for the storms of life:
- Plan for the unanticipated.
- Concern yourself with nothing you cannot change.
- God will see you through if you trust Him.
- Consolidate your faith. You will be able to trust God more in the middle of the storms the stronger your faith.
- Get around good people. Time spent with certain people can greatly influence your perspective on life. Assemble a support system of people who will uplift and inspire you.
- See to your own needs. Being both physically and mentally well helps you to better manage hardship and stress. Assure yourself of getting adequate sleep, eating wholesome meals, and regular exercise.
These actions will make us more equipped to weather life’s storms. We can believe that God is in charge and that He will see us through even if we may not always understand why we are going through trying circumstances.
Reminding us to always be ready for the unexpected is the lesson of the narrative. Although we can never predict what obstacles life may throw at us, being ready will help us to better overcome them. Furthermore, we ought to put our trust in God and realize that He is with us always. He will help us to get beyond any challenge and see us through life’s storms.
