Finding Peace in the Eye of the Storm (Even When It's Raining Buckets!)
Well, if you're reading this, chances are I'm tucked away cozy in my cabin here in Shreveport, listening to the symphony of thunder and rain drumming on the roof. From my perch on the hill, overlooking the Cypress Swamp and the mighty Red River, it's been quite the Thursday afternoon show – lightning flashing, winds whipping, and the kind of downpour that makes you truly appreciate a solid roof over your head.
It got me thinking, as these "storms of life" often do, about those moments when it feels like everything around us is raging out of control. We all face them, don't we? Times when worries batter us like fierce winds, or anxieties crash over us like relentless waves. Sometimes, it can feel like we're adrift on a "stormy sea of sin," lost and without hope.
But then, my mind goes to that powerful story in the Bible, when Jesus and His disciples were caught in a violent storm on the Sea of Galilee. The waves were so high they were swamping the boat, and the disciples were terrified. Yet, Jesus was asleep! When they woke Him, crying out for help, what did He do? He simply stood up and rebuked the wind and the waves, saying, "Peace, be still!" (Mark 4:39). And just like that, there was a great calm.
It's a beautiful reminder that no matter how wild the storms of our lives become, there is a source of peace that can calm even the most tumultuous seas. And often, in those moments of feeling overwhelmed, our hearts cry out for rescue, much like the old hymn "Love Lifted Me" describes:
"I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore, Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more; But the Master of the sea heard my despairing cry, From the waters lifted me, now safe am I."
Even as the thunder rumbles outside, there's a profound sense of peace knowing that we don't have to face life's storms alone. Just as Jesus calmed the raging waters with a word, His love can lift us from the depths and bring us to a place of safety and calm.
So, as I head off to bed, listening to the lingering drips and distant rumblings, I'm holding onto that truth. May you also find your peace in the midst of whatever storms you might be weathering.
Goodnight from Shreveport!
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