Fishing is a great sport that millions of men and women participate in each year. Most of the country boasts of its places to fish and each area has its specialty. For instance, my area is known for its lakes. Other areas are known for its rivers or streams, and some for its access to an ocean. There really is something for everyone. What I forget many times about fishing is how my success today is based on what has happened yesterday or even the past several days. It may be beautiful and sunny today, but if the last several days were full of rain, it may be impossible to fish. This doesn’t affect the larger bodies of water as much, but it still makes a difference. The rivers and streams will always show the effect from the weather of a few days earlier.

Every time I think about this truth, I am reminded of how important it is for me to do the right things today so I can be ready for what might happen in the future.

So many people live their lives only reacting to the situations they find themselves in. In many cases this is no big deal, but in some, it will surely bring the wrong reaction. The best way to ensure the right response is preparing for the action ahead of time. For instance, if you are fishing with the expectation of the possibility of an evening thunderstorm, you will be both prepared for it and not taken back when it comes.

Many times in our spiritual lives we are thrown into a storm. The Bible is clear that these will come to all of our lives from time to time. Thus, we need to expect them and be prepared for them as well. But how? We do this by knowing what the Bible says about these storms and by reading how God delivered His people in and through them. When we see how God responded then, we know how He will respond in our situation as well. And as a result, we will not be blindsided by whatever comes our way.

There is a Biblical principle here. It is “you reap what you sow.” If you sow into your life the truths about God now, you will reap the benefits of right reactions when you’re caught in the storm later. Don’t wait until you’re in the storm to look for needed help – everything you need to prepare for it is available now.

Outdoor Truths is written by Gary Miller. He can be reached via e-mail at gary@outdoortruths.org.