This morning I stomped my feet when my husband asked me one too many questions for my already overloaded brain. Yes, stomped. Like a 2 year old. Like an “aaah I don’t wanna deal with aaah one more thing aaah send me out to peaceful pastures NOW” tantrum. Not my proudest moment. I regretted it as soon as I did it. And I knew what an idiot I just looked like.
But I’m thankful to God for the man he gave me.
Because Cliff just looked at me. Took a breath (which is what I should have done instead of taking a stomp) and said, “It’s going to be ok.”
There’s a lot happening around here at the Horn household. I’m not going to share all the details right now but there’s just. A. LOT.
Changes are coming, pressure is rising and an already too-long to-do list is growing. Plans you thought you had in place don’t apply anymore. Big fat questions appear where you thought answers already were.
It’s a storm and it is here.
Which makes me think of another storm, a literal one, where some men were in a boat, IN a storm and freaking out too. Maybe one of them even stomped. Especially when they saw their leader sleeping through the whole thing.
Because they were panicked! They were scared! They were hollering “Danger! Danger Will Robinson!” (Ok, maybe not those exact words but I bet they were hollerin’.)
And then Jesus woke up. Stood up. And said to the storm “Peace, be still.” (Mark 4:39, ESV).
You may be like me today – not finding yourself in a literal storm but struggling with a storm in your heart. In your mind. With your emotions. Fighting fear and doubt and the big one for me – Self. My needs, my wants, my thoughts. God is teaching me to give up myself. And boy, that doesn’t feel good at all. Because that’s not what the world around us tells us, is it?
The world tells us to look out for ourselves, to fight for #1 (the big Me) in everything – not just in work but our marriages, in our families, in our friendships and relationships with others. But that is definitely not what God teaches us. Or wants for us.
Here’s what I read this morning in my quiet time (which unfortunately but honestly was before I stomped my feet. I know, I’m a slow learner sometimes…).
“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful.” ~ John 14:27.
Jesus did not leave us in this world without a life vest or a rescue boat. His peace is what we have when we have a relationship with Him. And don’t miss what He says – He doesn’t give to us what the world gives. He may not give us what the world says is wonderful – big houses or expensive cars or a life of luxury with no problems ever (I’m not sure anyone can say that – or if they can, they’re in denial.)
Storms are scary, they’re loud, they’re violent, they freeze us up and shake us down. But Jesus brings peace. And He’s telling me today, He’s telling you today, to be still. To take a breath. And trust Him.
With everything.
“Be still” Hard for me to do. I am a problem solver-or at least I want to be; and so in the storms I want to “fix” things. God says, “Be still.” There has been a storm in my life the last six weeks, and John 14:27 was a good reminder to me today. God is more powerful than the storm. He is in control. I KNOW that He wants only good for me, and so I praise him for the storms in my life; and today I will be still and experience His peace. Thanks for sharing.