No matter what kind of storm you’re enduring, God says, ‘Be still’
By Dean Collins
I’ve been through a few storms. The first one I remember was as a child when Hurricane Donna swept through Tampa. I didn’t understand the coming danger or the preparation of securing windows and bringing into the house anything that might blow away. I did understand that when storms are coming, you must get busy and prepare if you are to be safe. As a child and later as an adult I have experienced many hurricanes, and I’ve seen how a pending storm escalates activity and stirs anxiety.
I’ve also lived through the storm of divorce. There is no painless or easy divorce, regardless of what some think or say. I’ve seen this storm from the eyes of a teenager and years later as an adult. I’ve supported many friends and former clients through these storms.
I’ve lived through the storms of war. I have watched family members go off to war and come back, changed by physical and mental scars that may remain for years. I’ve led support groups with family members while their spouse, a child, or a grandchild served on foreign soil and in great danger.
As a leader in both the nonprofit and business worlds, I have led through financial storms. Financial danger and struggle may not bring wind and rain, but trying to navigate these storms feels as threatening as moving through hurricane winds. Financial storms, like physical storms, stir fear of survival.
In recent years the political and cultural tensions have blown like storms through social media. Everyone seems to talk over and past each other, escalating fear and even hatred. These storms often leave damage to individuals and groups as we fight for what we believe to be truth. Those of us who profess faith in Jesus sometimes fight as if we are enemies, giving evidence we have lost our anchor in the middle of the storm.
Surviving a storm
The apostle Paul survived many attacks, legal battles, political intrigue, and even physical storms. When we arrive at the last chapter of Acts, we get some sense of God’s provision and hand on Paul and his great missionary work. When we read about his shipwreck on the island of Malta, we find him still standing and helping out as the survivors build a fire. And to make his situation even worse, a viper latches on to his hand.
The crowd watches, believing he will surely die, even believing this to be evidence that he was a murderer. They were right about his previous and horrible behavior presiding over the execution of those who followed Jesus. But Paul did not die from a snake bite. He shook the snake into the fire. Here is a man who can teach us something about weathering storms.
Strength in the storm
As I opened Psalm 46 just after reading Acts 28, I wondered how the psalms shaped Paul’s faith and confidence in God. There is no evidence of Paul quoting or using Psalm 46, though he quotes from other psalms many times. But I suspect most scholars would agree that Paul’s familiarity with the psalms surely provided comfort and may have often been used in his public and private prayers.
Learning to be still and know God’s presence might just be the key to survival. But it isn’t the easiest thing to do. I will admit to not always knowing what to do in a difficult moment at work, at home, or in life, but I am rarely one who chooses to sit and do nothing.
Psalm 46 can provide great help and strength as we face the many storms of life. This psalm opens with the declaration that God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. You may not be feeling the trouble today, but we cannot wait until the trouble and storm come to begin our prayers of preparation. We must learn to speak God’s truth over our day-to-day situations and over our daily activities.
We cannot wait until the trouble and storm come to begin our prayers of preparation.
The psalmist then describes waters roaring and foaming, mountains swelling and trembling, and the earth giving way. This sounds like everything from tsunamis to earthquakes, from hurricanes to erupting volcanoes. Yet even in the middle of these natural disasters, we are reminded that just one word from the Almighty can bring calm. The disciples certainly experienced as much as they battled storms, and Jesus spoke peace over raging waters.
It isn’t until we get to the end of the psalm that we are encouraged to be still and know that God is God and he is with us. While there is a time and place for stopping activity and focusing on God in prayer, we must be active in declaring that God is with us when we find ourselves in a storm. His strength and not simply our own will turn the tide. He is the one who brings peace to our situation.
Before and after the storms
Following Jesus does not prevent great difficulty. If it did, then we’d have to conclude Paul wasn’t very good at following Jesus. But like Paul we can learn to hold on to the promises of God, to repeat them to ourselves and to others, and to pray for God’s help and intervention.
Paul showed evidence throughout his ministry that he knew God was his refuge and present help in every situation. He is ours as well. But we must learn to stay connected to him before, during, and after the storms of life.
Your time with God’s Word
Acts 28:3-6; Psalm 46:1-11 ESV
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