It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain. Isaiah 4:6
How did I not hear it? How did I not feel it? How did I miss it? When did it happen? These were my thoughts as I opened the door to my son’s room. I stood in the doorway with my eyes bugging out and my jaw dropped open in shock at the devastation that had taken place. I finally was able to form words and asked, “What happened in here?”
This is where I got the brilliant response, “What?”
WHAT? The tornado!
There were clothes strewn about, books everywhere, toys covered every inch, papers and pencils all over, and money…money on the floor! Yet, I hear a calm, somewhat bored, “What?” Is my child from a different planet? Did something happen to his eyesight? How can he be so relaxed in the midst of utter chaos?
I may have been horrified and completely astonished, however I was intrigued. Is that what Jesus felt while napping in the middle of the storm? Did He look at the disciples and say, “What?” Hmm…I want that! I want to be able to get calm in the middle of the storm. I want that peace. I love the quote “Sometimes God calms the storm, sometimes He lets the storm rage and calms His child.” I know the peace comes from God, but the big question is…How do I get it?
Looking back at the day I walked into his bedroom, my son wasn’t concerned with the chaos around him because he was seeing life in a way God meant for it to be seen. He knew that crazy room didn’t change the big picture. Sure, he still had to clean up, but it didn’t steal his peace of the moment.
Me, I start to feel anxiety and my calm goes out the window. That’s really pretty ridiculous. How does it help the situation? It doesn’t, it only makes it worse.
I started wondering if I ever stayed in the eye of the storm where it is calm, or if I always let myself get swept away into the storm. Believe it or not, I’ve had successes. It’s good to focus on what we’ve done right instead of just our failures.
When I was nursing my boys, I insisted on privacy. There were wonderful people in and out of the house non-stop for quite a bit celebrating our new addition. Sometimes, I admit, it got a bit overwhelming. While the party continued all around us, my newborn and I would take a break for him to eat. It allowed us just to be still. Success!
When the boys were little and zooming around the house, the level of noise around me got higher and higher. I got still and whispered instead of adding to the chaos. The curious little guys they were needed to know what I was doing, so it quieted them enough to get them under control again. I didn’t just take refuge here, but I was actually able to calm the storm instead of contributing to the whirlwinds. Success!
We’ve been in a busy doctor’s office waiting for an appointment where a video was being played and kids were running around everywhere. We were able to huddle together while quietly reading a book together. It was our own little island of peace in the middle of total chaos. Success!
I’ve had the pup around people with high energy (recipe for disaster) and other dogs barking. If I got all tense and contributed to the chaos, misbehavior would have certainly happened. Yet, by simply pretending I was confident and in control of the two of us, I was able to give him the anchor he needed for success. Sometimes pretending will lead you to the actual feeling! I learned that the pup will try to calm things down by freezing and lifting his paw, yawning, or licking his lips. Goodness, if a dog tries to do his part, surely we can do our part and let God do the rest!
Think on three or four successes you’ve had in being calm in the storm. Then, remember to add more to your list today by taking shelter in God’s peace instead of the world’s chaos when the storm is raging.
