The dreams began to happen again. Years ago it was people trying to attack my son. But over the past two nights it was people coming to try to kill me. In my dreams I went to hide, to protect myself from the attacks. I needed to get anywhere that I would be safe in this figuritive storm.
Have you ever heard anyone say that the safest place to be in a hurricane is in the eye? I don’t really think of storms as safe. I have seen the damage that they can do. But interesting enough, the eye moves with the storm but is strangely calm because the winds that converge towards the center never reach it. The Coriolis force diverts the wind away from the center, causing the eyewall, leaving the center calm.
Hurricanes are large, cause a lot of damage, and yet the center is calm.
Still.
The storm is over. But there is damage that was done. And sometimes you can be strangely calm in the storm, only to come out of it only to survey the damage and realize that it was worse than you had originally imagined. You can easily feel like a storm is still raging around you, and that you may easily get swept up away in the winds and drown in the rains.
Be still.
Storms can also reveal things that were broken that you didn’t know about. And that is what happened in our lives. I began to question what I had believed to be true, because everything seemed upside down and backwards. One morning in particular I just didn’t feel like myself. I felt completely off, and if I took one wrong move I would get swept up in the storm. There was a part of me that wanted to run and hide, isolate myself until I felt strong enough to emerge with my heart guarded enough to where it won’t shatter if it takes a hit.
Be Still, In The Storm. Be Still In The Atermath Of The Storm.
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Come and see what the LORD has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Psalm 46
I know Psalm 46:10 well. It is a verse that has been ingrained in my heart for about a year now. But as familiar as I was with it, I am pretty sure I have never read it in the full context of it’s chapter. The writer seems to describe turbulent times. Waters roaring, mountains quaking. Nations are in an uproar. Kingdoms fall.
But God will help her at break of day. He is a fortress. He breaks weapons formed against her. Think about that truth for a second. It’s a good one.
He is a refuge for times of trouble. He is the calming center of the storm.
Behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus was asleep
Behold (look, see, stand in awe and be amazed, pay attention what happens next is important), there was a vilent storm. The boat was knocked around and covered in waves. Interesting place to place the word behold. There was a storm. Jesus slept. He rested. It seems backwards honestly, when it seemed like He should have been working to ensure His disciples safety, but He didn’t. You sleep when you are calm, He was calm.
So what do you do when everything around you feels like a storm?
Rest. Surround yourself in what brings you calm. For me that was taking baths with calming bath salts, many walks at the beach, lighting my favorite scented candles, trying new recipes for dinner, baking (most of the time that baking failed), and taking some time to serve others. Now when I say serve others, I don’t mean to exhaust yourself. But serving can be simple.
We had neighbors move in across the street last week. Moving and settling into a new home can be stressful. So, one afternoon I decided I was going to bring them dinner, and brownies. The women had tears in her eyes because she was thankful.
A few days later I was in bed sick, and there was a knock at the door. My husband answered and it was the woman standing there will my baking dish, and flowers. Sunflowers. I am not exatly a fan of sunflowers (I guess I should say I wasn’t), but I was definitely appreciative of the gesture of thanks.
But why sunflowers? Because of their significance. They represent loyalty, adoration, strength. But most importantly, they always look to the sun.
They always look to the Son. Run to Him. He guards your heart. He is your fortress in the storms. Immerse yourself in His word, His truth. Always look to the Son.
So true, He really calms our storms.