God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging … Be still and know that I am God. (Ps.46:1-10).
Many of us have seen that scene in the movie where someone is suddenly confronted by an unexpected reality. They may have just discovered a betrayal, a loved one may have just passed away, or they are unexpectedly fired from a job. In that moment, the film is in slow motion as the director tries to help us understand the cocktail of emotions the individual may be experiencing. The person may walk away in stunned silence, fall to the ground and weep, or appear confused and in a daze. We get it because we’ve been there.
At one point or another, we all experience situations that leave us in that familiar daze. Difficult unexpected situations leave us stunned, shocked, numb, confused, sad, and sometimes feeling a little unhinged. In that sea of crazy, the waves toss us this way and that, and we struggle to find the hand we were holding onto. “Where is God in all of this?” We wonder.
These moments may last for days, weeks, or months as we try to find answers from places or people who don’t have them. Nothing satisfies that incessant “why.” Why did he have to die like that? Why did I lose my job? Why now? Why did she leave me? We personalize the loss and begin to wonder… Perhaps it was my fault. I should have done this not that. Maybe I should have said this not that. Maybe we should have gone there not here. Maybe I should have applied earlier… perhaps…
As we play out a million scenarios trying to figure out how it all went so wrong, we sink deeper and deeper into confusion. We’re here and there, everywhere and nowhere.
In these moments, the Spirit of God quietly beckons us to be still and remember that God is God. That means we should STOP, cease all useless mental activity and maintain a calm inner disposition. The Spirit beckons us to relax, sit quietly and calmly, and wait on God. He reminds us that no matter how turbulent the sea, God is above it all, and in Him we are perfectly secure. It will be alright.
If you’re in crazy sea today, give God room to work. Be still.