Waging Storms

Have you ever watched a storm on the ocean? The waves are turned into white caps, the very color of the sea changes as sand is churned upward, and the once docile lapping of the waves have turned into walls of water that crash with such force it’s all you hear.

Does it make you want to head for home and hunker down where you know you will be warm, dry and safe until the storm passes? That’s always what I want to do!

But what if that storm is on the inside, in our soul? No matter where you go, it rages on—you can’t out run the storm within. So many times I’ve had this crazy storm raging inside and no matter where I went or what I tried to do to forget about it- it was there. It didn’t “blow over” or “clear up” on it’s own. That’s why I wanted to write about it, because we need to know WHO can calm the storm and HOW we get to that place where we can find rest, safety and warmth –on the inside.

First, no matter how fierce the gale, how loud the thunder or how scared you might be…God is stronger than the storm.

Psalm 107:29 He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.

God’s power over nature is just a glimmer of His power over our inner storms—how much more can Jesus calm your soul, if He can calm the SEA?! How much bigger is the sea than our little heart? But how much more precious your little heart is than all of the sea? God cares for every last detail of creation, a sparrow doesn’t fall without Him noticing…so how much MORE does he notice when His own child is in pain?
He loves you, more than you will ever know right now, but I’m almost certain, we will know more fully, the depths of His love for us when we arrive in Heaven.

So what do we do NOW, when we are driving to the grocery store and our heart is having a category 5 tornado?

1. Pray. You can pray driving down the highway, just keep your eyes open! Ha ha!

2. Ask. Say, “Father it’s too much, please calm my raging soul, I’m sorry I’ve tried to deal with this on my own, when I know that only You can truly bring what I am desperate for, for peace, for rest and for assurance in your faithful hand…that my life IS worth living. Show me what I need to do in this situation, give me discernment and wisdom to navigate these waters.”


3. Trade your garbage thoughts, like “I totally screwed up my whole life, my marriage is disintegrating, I’m addicted to this or that, my spouse is addicted to this or that, I’ve just received a bad diagnosis, my child is hurting and I can’t seem to help, or I don’t want to live anymore” (any thought that is hopeless, negative in nature or riddled with pain). Give them over to Jesus, He tells us to give Him our heavy burdens. Hand over the storm to Jesus.

Psalm 107:30 They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven.

Isn’t this a wonderful verse? After Jesus calms the terrifying storm in our soul, He doesn’t just leave us there…His faithfulness remains as He guides us home.

No matter the size of the storm you are facing now, rejoice because no storm is bigger than our God!

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.