Surviving Outrageous Fortune

Inevitably when at the beach we see children building sand castles. They build grand visions of a little kingdom with its buildings, walls, and mote. They put all their hopes and dreams into these structures and are proud of their creation.

But just as inevitable is their kingdom’s downfall. The next day comes and the sand castles are nowhere to be found. The wind and waves toppled their carefully and lovingly designed kingdoms.

This is the same way many people build their lives. They begin by designing what the perfect life looks like. They decide their future kingdom with the type of career they want and attend some sort of schooling to accomplish that goal.

They look for the perfect spouse and imagine what the rest of life will look like with family and friends. And they purchase the dwelling of their dreams, or something close to it and surround themselves with cars and possessions to complete the fantasy.

Why do I say fantasy? Because of the inevitable wind and waves of outrageous fortune that sweeps across everyone’s life, and that’s because we live in a fallen world.

We build our elaborately designed lives, but then comes the inevitable.

Jesus said that in this world we will have tribulation (John 16:33). Note Jesus said we will have difficulties and trials in this life, and so it’s not a matter of “if,” but more like a matter of “when.”

So how can we survive the wind and waves of outrageous fortune?

Jesus said that those who do not follow God’s word will be like a person who builds sand castles, and when the wind and waves of outrageous fortune come, their castle will fall. But when we do what God says, we’ll build our homes upon the solid rock which nothing can topple (Matthew 7:24-27).

The rock is Jesus Christ, and when we build our lives by faith upon Him, then we will be able to stand when everything else crumbles.