Faith During My Storm

Hurry! Hurry! Make the bed! Wash the dishes! Feed the dogs! Don’t stop now; the doctor wants you to do those exercises. The garden needs weeding and don’t forget to water the plants. What, is it lunchtime already? I have to hurry and get something out of the freezer. Look at those full garbage cans – I need to make a dump run. Oh, no! I missed that phone call I was waiting for. I have to call them back. While I’m on hold, I can make out my grocery list – I still need to pick up things at the store this afternoon. Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!

By the day’s end, I am exhausted. No, the truth is, I was exhausted well before that, but still, the work seems to pile up. Oh, God! I’ve got so much yet to do! Where are you? Why aren’t you helping me? As I look around at the things still begging for my attention, I feel I am in the center of a storm? While it may or may not be a storm of my own making, the fact is, God seems to be asleep. He isn’t helping me through this traumatic day. I have to wake him up and beg for help before I’m totally swamped. So I take a quick moment to pray as I gather up that stack of old mail I promised myself I’ll look through later.

Jesus speaks to me in that quiet way of his. “Why are you so frantic? You know I am with you always.” Suddenly all the stress melts away. I still have things that must get done, but the storms of life are held back by the loving arms of my Lord. I can get through this. Panic is not called for. I just need to make sure I keep God with me. I need to pray always, not just in desperation when I feel like I’m going under.

The apostles didn’t wake their Master until they thought all was lost. Did Jesus rebuke them as having little faith because he felt they should have let him sleep? Or was it because they didn’t call him earlier. He was with them; shouldn’t they have just asked for help before things got so desperate? What about me? If I had taken the time early in the day to pray, might not my frantic day have been quieter? Maybe I wouldn’t have felt so driven to panic. This stressful period in my life may feel like a stormy sea, but prayer keeps me centered and able to cope with any storm. With Jesus by my side, I know I will make it safely through.

Linda Crowley