Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
And the fruit of the spirit is...peace:
I love thunderstorms. I love curling up on the couch with a good book with the darkness outside and listening to the wind and rain. I know most people don’t like storms. My son and I share this love of storms. He has had friends in the past actually think we are strange because we can sometimes even get excited when we know a storm is coming.
But the storms of life, not so much. I try to hide from the storms of life. Whether it is a conflict or a situation, I get anxious and I literally try to close myself off from the world around me.
This song by Ryan Stevenson has been on my heart lately. I can’t seem to get it out of my thoughts.
The chorus says,
“In the eye of the storm, You remain in control
And in the middle of the war, You guard my soul
You alone are the anchor, when my sails are torn
Your love surrounds me in the eye of the storm”
The term eye of the storm refers to the very center of a hurricane. In the center of the hurricane, the winds are calm and things are peaceful. The skies can even be clear. However; the eye wall, surrounding the eye, is the most dangerous place to be.
Sometimes in our storms of life, we must pass through the roughest part of our situation before we can experience the peace of being in the eye of the storm.
But God is our peace. Philippians 4:7 (ESV) says “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
I read something on Facebook this week that made me reflect on what it means to be in the palm of His hand. Noah was in the middle of a storm. Genesis 7:16 (ESV) “And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him. And the Lord shut him in.” They listened to God and God shut them in. They were shut in by the hand of God.
When we are in the midst of a storm, peace can seem so far away. But the peace of God is already within you. If you get in the presence of God, He will shut you in. He will be your peace.That doesn’t mean your storm is over. But it does mean that God will grant you rest from the circumstance raging around you.
Having peace comes from faith; faith that God is in control.
As this song says, He is the anchor. He gives you a firm foundation, no matter what is going on. Let His love surround you. Be encouraged knowing that you are in the palm of His hand and He will give you peace. Know that He is in control. If you are anxious about anything, take time to be still, pray, and listen to His voice.
Allow God to make you whole, releasing you from worry and anxiety, so that you can experience the calm in the midst of your storm.
Lord, you know the storm that I am facing. But I know the peace that only you can give. Lord, help me experience the calm in the eye of the storm. Help me to keep my eyes and thoughts focused on you. Shut me in by the palm of your hand. And thank you for walking with me through it all. No matter what comes, help me to keep my faith in you, who can help me overcome all circumstances. Amen
Journal prompt: What storm am I facing? Am I allowing God to shut me in so that I can experience the peace that only He can give?
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