“On that [same] day, when evening had come, He said to them, ‘Let us go over to the other side [of the Sea of Galilee].’ So leaving the crowd, they took Him with them, just as He was, in the boat. And other boats were with Him. And a fierce windstorm began to blow, and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already being swamped. But Jesus was in the stern, asleep [with His head] on the [sailor’s leather] cushion. And they woke Him and said to Him, ‘Teacher, do You not care that we are about to die?’ And He got up and [sternly] rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Hush, be still (muzzled)!’ And the wind died down [as if it had grown weary] and there was [at once] a great calm [a perfect peacefulness]. Jesus said to them, ‘Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith and confidence [in Me]?’ Mark 4:35-40 AMP

Fear in the face of the storms of life is a normal, instinctual, human response. We become overwhelmed with emotions, and easily allow those emotions to drive our choices. Joyce Meyer said, “God wants us to make wise decisions. I believe having wisdom is choosing to do now what we will be happy with later.” (Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life devotional, Day 179). This week I’ve been struggling to find my words. I’ve been sick with a crud of the body, and further oppressed by a sickness in my heart. I commented in a devotional this morning that trying to hear the voice of God clearly has felt like trying to hear Him under water. Everything sounding muffled and unclear.

I am walking through a storm I don’t quite understand, and it’s one that has sparked fear and sadness. Because of my own lack of clarity, God has sent me love, guidance, and encouragement through the words and actions of my husband, my dear friend, Rebecca, my daddy, my niece, and my sister. There have been other sources of His love, as His is constantly a multifaceted approach. Without a doubt, however, I know I’ve been experiencing a constant barrage of attacks by the enemy. This tells me something important and valuable in the eyes of God is happening in my life, and Satan is working very hard to thwart that from coming to fruition. All the more reason I must rely on godly wisdom and not on my emotions.

“From everlasting I was established and ordained, From the beginning, before the earth existed, [I, godly wisdom, existed].” Proverbs 8:23 AMP

My life must be about more than myself. I read something recently that really struck a cord…the gist was that Jesus died, not so we could live a life according to our own plans and desires, but instead live a life built on God’s promises. We have to choose to worship Him, keep our hearts and minds focused on Him, and He will take care of the rest. When we feel lost and afraid, just as a child slips their hand into the safety of their parents hand, we must slip our soul into the safety of God’s protective embrace. My sister and I used to talk about how life often feels like trying to climb a rickety old staircase, and when we feel as though the stairs under our feet are going to give way beneath us, our only option is to grab the rail and hold on tight. The obvious analogy here is that God is the rail of life, and when we’re sliding out of control, we must remember to “grab the rail.”