Storms
the REST of the week #107
It’s the rest of the week. What would you like to rest from right now?
Sometimes we know in our bones that a storm won’t last. We remember how, above the gathered darkness and pouring rain, the sun still shines over it all—how the topside of those ominous storm clouds gleams bright.
Sometimes it doesn’t take much imagination or faith to believe that the storm will move on and eventually die out. We weather the storm. Hang on. Endure. We learn in small doses how to trust and, little by little, we build our house on the Rock.
Then there are those storms that batter us, drawing out the worst of our imaginations, plunging our faith into darkest darkness. Our foundation feels like sand and we fall apart.
Or, we fall open to knowing ourselves better, to understanding what we didn’t (or couldn’t) comprehend before.
Remember the literal storm Jesus slept in? A dramatic, boat-sinking squall over the Sea of Galilee that had the disciples terrified of imminent death? When Jesus woke up to their screams and ordered the storm to stop, they fell silent in awe—a glimmer of comprehension regarding his real identity.
Then there was the storm Jesus could not, would not, sleep in—the night of his betrayal and arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. And while the disciples slept, he passed through, ready to fulfill his mission. When the disciples woke up, they woke to their own storm, floundering through a shattered misconception of Jesus and his mission, utterly disillusioned.
And in the process, they learned something about themselves. When it was over, in the bright light of the resurrection, they were finally able to comprehend.
The more I desire rest for my soul, that internal calm and peace that is unshakeable, the more I realize that each storm is an opportunity to see where I’m settled and discover where I’m not.
So when this familiar text came up as the verse of the day on my Bible app recently, it spoke to me like never before. (I especially like Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase from The Message.)
Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.
James 1:2-4 The Message
If your skies are a cheerful blue right now, with fluffy cotton candy clouds, thanks be to God. If they aren’t, may this storm reveal whatever it is that will strengthen your foundation and bring you to a place of deeper rest.
May your rest be sweet,
Alicia
Good thoughts, well said. 😀
I like the way you talked about Faith going into dark places. I call it having your Faith hijacked. You still have faith but it has just been turned in the wrong direction. Instead of imagining all of the wonderful and good things God could do we imagine the worst that could happen. Our faith is turned away from God.
When I find myself in that situation, I like to play the “what if?“ Game. Instead of imagining all the worst things, I purposely try to imagine all the good things, and say, what if God does this or what if God does that…. It helps me turn my eyes on Jesus, and put my faith where it belongs.