Peace In the Eye of the Storm 

by Min. Agnes Miller

 

As a kid growing up in the south, I saw many storms and hurricanes. Some were mild, while others were fierce. Regardless of their intensity, these storms always called for proper planning and preparations for everyone to be safe. 

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I’ve been experiencing some turbulence in my life lately. Not the physical storms that my family and I encountered when I was young, but the ones that are used by the enemy to rob us of our peace.  

 

Colossians 3:15 states: Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise]. To this peace indeed you were called as members in one body [of believers]. (Amplified Bible)

I love this version of this verse because it refers to peace as an “inner calm.”  My mother would always point out to us that every storm had movement and an eye. I’m sure there are more components to a hurricane, but she told us as much as she knew then. She would tell us that the movement of the hurricane was some of what caused the magnitude and force behind the storm and within the eye of hurricane was “the calm.”

 

My mom would go on to explain to us that the storm would need to run its course before “the calm” could be revealed. Remember when the disciples were caught in a storm with Jesus on the boat. Let’s read this account from Mark 4:35-41 (New King James Version) to get a better understanding of this lesson. 35 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” 36 Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” 39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 40 But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

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Here are few points to consider when you find yourself in a storm:

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1. Follow Jesus.

The Lord wants us to trust Him with our lives and all that we have. We do not need to try to figure it out, write our own narrative, or convince ourselves that His word is true. If He made a promise to us, He won’t go back on His word. Numbers 23:19(NKJV) declares “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? If He spoke a thing to us, we can trust that He is faithful to bring it to pass. It does not matter what it feels like, how difficult things may seem, our God is faithful to His word.

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2.  A Storm Is No Match for Jesus.

The Bible said that Jesus was asleep in the boat when the winds from the storm began to blow fiercely. When the disciples saw the magnitude of the winds, they were fearful. They began to think about their safety. They forgot that they were in the Eye of the storm. They forgot that the One who could save them was in the boat with them. We are no different today; we quickly forget of the many times that the Lord has come to our rescue. We forget that He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. (Deuteronomy 31:6) (NKJV) Regardless of where we find ourselves in this, God is right there with us. We, too, are in the Eye, the calm, of the storm.

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3.  God Cares About Us

Romans 5:8 states, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” I love this verse because Jesus could have left us in our messes, our struggles, with fear, doubt, and unbelief, but God sent us Jesus to die for us. That is how much He loved us. I don’t know anyone who would be willing to die for me and then save me. I was wretched, full of myself, and cared only for me but Jesus found me worthy. He found you worthy, too. There will never be anything that you and I will be able to do to turn Jesus away from us. This is good news!

 

4.  Everything is Subject to the Voice and Power of Jesus!

The Bible tells us that Jesus was asleep in the boat. He was tired from ministry, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, and casting out devils. When His disciples called to Him for help, they were afraid, they thought they were going to die but Jesus woke up from His sleep and saved them. He did not leave them alone. He did not leave them to fend for themselves. He spoke to peace to winds and to the sea and they obeyed Him. 

 

Jesus can do the same in our lives, also, but we must yield to His love and trust Him with the end results. If the Lord tells us we are going to the other side, He will not fail us. He spoke peace to the storm and the storm obeyed Him.

 

After rebuking the storm, Jesus issued a reprimand to His disciples asking: “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” (Mark 4:40). (NKJV) In other words, I could hear Jesus saying to His disciples, “Peace, be still.” I am the Eye of the storm. In Me you will find complete Shalom: nothing missing, nothing broken, and nothing lacking. Jesus is in complete control of everything that challenges our peace and well-being. We just need to trust Him in whatever situation, whatever storm, and whatever the struggle may be. Trust Him. He will get us to the place, “our place” of promise but we must know who is in our lives.

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Ponder This: Is He your Peace? Is He your Shalom? Is He the Great I (EYE) Am in your storm? If He is not, He can be. Just ask Him.