Calm

"And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, 'Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?' Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, 'Peace, be still!' And the wind ceased and there was a great calm." (Mark 4:37-39 NKJ)

We Christians sometimes project the image of a Pollyanna world. "I am too blessed to be stressed." Really? On which side of the planet? Then, there are those who are "blessed and highly favored." So? And the rest of us struggling in the storms of life are not? I am not criticizing anyone's positive attitude. Yet, this is about reality, not about being positive or keeping our chins up. It's about living an example of faith when in the  midst of life's storms.

We don't want to be seen as weak, yet Paul the Apostle claimed the Lord explained to him, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness"  (2Corinthians 12:9 NKJ). And Paul responded, "Therefore  most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (9-10).

While the current governmental shutdown affects all Americans, there is a myriad of storms blowing through individual lives. Families are being torn apart. Children are being abused. Careers are being disrupted. Jobs have been lost. Past sins have destroyed lives and some have no idea how to begin again. Some have no idea where their next meal is coming from. Some are depending on WIC to feed their babies, but WIC is experiencing financial troubles.

The impending disaster in individual circumstances may threaten whether a person or family gets safely to the other side or not. And all we have to offer is some immature, pollyannian pronouncement? If God is in our boat, then surely we have more to offer.

Christianity is more than a series of cute quips that can be repeated over and over until our mental spirits are lifted. We have faith in a person, not in our ability. We aren't on a deserted island with some Tarzan-dude trying to survive. Instead, we are individually dealing with reality right where we live. And except the Lord is in our boat the winds and waves of life's storms will capsize us.

But having said that, we Christians do not focus on the storms of this life. Instead, we make certain that Christ is in "our boat," and we focus on him. We trust that he will speak peace to the storm and to us while we continue in the storm. Although we fervently believe that he will calm our storm, our faith is not that the storm will cease, but that Christ will calm us in the midst of our storms. He will see us safely through the storm to the other side.

Dear Father, thank you for the storms of reality that test our faith in you. Thank you for walking with us through our storms. Thank you for calming our storms and bringing peace to us. Fortify our faith with confidence in Christ and his peace. I pray this in the name of Jesus. AMEN

Today trust Christ for peace and calm,