The Eye of the Storm

Life in the 21st century means constant stress. Each day holds decisions to be made, chores to complete, deadlines to meet, work to accomplish, social obligations to be met, etc. Today, after a busy day at work, I still need to make dinner, phone my elderly mother, and return a call to my daughter. An editor is waiting for a copy of my writing project and the laundry is getting away from me.

Sometimes I feel like I’m standing in the middle of a hurricane. Around me swirl the cares of the world, the problems of family members, the busy-ness of the church, the demands of life. In my mind I visualize the weather map showing a huge blob of storm meandering up the Florida coastline with a dark eye in the very center.

In Matthew 8:23-26 the disciples panicked during a storm that rocked their boat while Jesus slept. They were so afraid that they woke Jesus and begged for his help, afraid they would all drown. Only when Jesus rebuked the storm, did it subside.

Recently I felt like the disciples in their little boat. I complained to the Lord how I was being sucked into situations too difficult for me to handle. Someone shared a problem and I felt myself slipping into the controversy. A friend was going through a difficult time and I felt myself pulled into her crisis. In the midst of confusion, I felt the Lord prompting me to stay in the center of the swirling problems, in the eye of the storm where there is perfect stillness. As long as I did, I felt His peace.

But after a few days, I complained again. Yes, I had pulled back from all the troubles surrounding me— but I had slipped into a self-defense mode and felt isolated and alone. While I maintained my own peace, I questioned all the things not being done. Surely I was put on this earth to help others and accomplish the tasks before me.

The loving voice of Jesus answered, “Look beneath your feet.” I looked and was surprised to see that I was standing on one task. Just one thing in the swirling mist of needs. “Work on the task beneath your feet.”

One task is easy. Manageable. Doable. Not overwhelming. A baby step.

When I finished that task I looked up to see what would happen next. In my mind’s weather map I saw the storm meandering to the next task. When the eye was situated squarely over it, I felt the Lord directing me to begin working on that issue. All the while in perfect peace though turmoil swirled around me in threatening currents.

The confusion of the storm saps my creativity and makes me tired before I begin. Attacking one problem at a time makes all the difference. I put one word down on paper, then another. Easy. Especially if done in the eye of the storm, in the center of God’s perfect peace.

Thank you for sharing this time of devotion with me. Readers are encouraged to share this with others as long as the author information is included. Candace Simar is a Minnesota writer. Check out her website at www.candacesimar.com. To be added or removed from this list, reply with your request in the subject line. God bless you!