“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
From childhood I have always been terrified of storms. Not just scared but terrified, and still to this day as an adult they still spark a fear inside of me I can’t quit comprehend. If I’m being honest it’s because they make me feel like I have zero control. That leaves me feeling very unsettled in my soul. We are literally in the mercy of the storms strength. You can’t stop them, and you can’t run from them. You have to brace for impact, and pray they don’t intensify on top of you.
This morning a storm was a brewing and I could feel the anxiety and fear rise up in my stomach trying to tickle my throat. My heart rate was elevating and my hands were clenching up to make fists. I pace when I’m nervous. So back and forth I paced as my mind wondered do we leave now or do we wait? My imagination creating all these outrageous dangerous scenarios that could happen once I drive off to school. “Swallow, Ash and breath!! It’s going to be okay! God says do not fear about anything!!” My inner man told my soul.
It dawned on me this morning as I was peaking outside my back door and could see the two toned cloud whipped sky that storms approaching look way more terrifying than actually being in the middle of one. I could see the wind gust swirling up the leaves off the ground and I could see dark gray clouds racing over the dark purple clouds of rain ready to release themselves. These dark gray clouds were forming peaks that resonated with funnel clouds all over the horizon, though there was no circulation in the atmosphere.
This storm came at a very inopportune time, school arrival, and I had to leave my safe home to venture off in it. Hence sparking the anxiety!
As we raced outside to get inside the car little E immediately saw the funny looking twister clouds and told me she was scared. She was certain that these clouds produce tornadoes. I assured her that God was keeping us safe and that there would be no tornadoes. She jumped in the car and we took off.
I noticed within five minuets of the school commute the sky’s display had changed from scary funnel clouds and dark gray and purple hues to one solid light gray color. No more signs of danger, just a sky ready to pour down on top of us. Buckets of rain!
In that moment I could feel my heart rate drop back down to a normal rhythm and I could hear the Holy Spirit whisper in my mind, “See sometimes storms try to bully you into submission of their power, they put on a big scary persona to strike fear in you and make you believe your not going to survive this one, but once you hold tight in your faith and trust in me, cast your cares on me, face me, look to me, the storm will stop raging and what is left is a steady rainfall.”
We have to stop letting fear dominate our thoughts and control our imaginations when the storm is in our back yard, and know that even if it looks terrifying we have shelter and refuge for our minds in God. He is always there ready to place peace inside of our hearts and minds when we call out to him!
Even though this experience was a real thunderstorm this morning, storms come into our lives that are not physical but spiritual. In the same way we can look to God for peace and remember just like a physical storm, this one too shall come upon us fast and perhaps a bit scary, but it will then change its appearance and remain steady until it passes. The calm after the storm is God reminding us that he was there all along with us. Yes! He was holding our hearts and releasing his love and peace over us to allow us to weather the storm with him.