Faith Filled Family Magazine August 2016 | Page 105

The Calm After

The Storm
By Julie B. Cosgrove

A

drenaline rush. Fight
or flight. God designed
our bodies and brains
to react in the midst
of trauma, danger or stress.
When we are in the throngs of
intensity, few of us have the
wherefore all to stop, kneel and
pray. Even though we know we
should. After all, Paul tell us in
Ephesians, to pray in the Spirit
on all occasions with all kinds of
prayers and requests. (6:18a)
I have heard it said “fear not”
is mentioned 365 times in the
Bible, one for every day of the
year. God doesn’t want us to be
afraid, but instead to trust in Him
and have faith. We’re supposed
to let Him take control.
But, is that truly possible in the
midst of a crisis?
When the swells of uncertainty
crash against our chest, our
first instinct is to swim as fast
and furiously as we can to stay
above water. We may cry out for
God to save us, but inaction on

our part is not an option. That is
human nature.

How can we emerge victorious
after any situation? The answer
is simple, but not often easy.
After you have run until there is We must sneak back under the
a stitch in your side, and your shadow of His wings and rejoice
breathing is labored and your in His shelter. Let our heartbeat
calves burn, you need to stop, calm. Allow our faith to be replenrest, and restore your energy. ished. And above all, thank Him
Spiritually, the same thing for being right there with us
applies. When we have been through the whole ordeal, even if
through the wringer, we must we could not “feel” His presence.
take time to reconnect with Our Therein lies the victory—that we
Father and let His Holy Spirit may have been beaten down but
comfort, strengthen, and revi- not defeated.
talize us. Too often in this rusharound world, I think we forget Paul and Silas, while jailed after
that and plow forwar d, hoping for being beaten and dragged in
a second wind.
humiliation before their peers
as a result of their preaching,
Jesus, according to the Gospels, stopped to pray, praise and sing.
often went away to pray, espe- But, it was after things calmed
cially after being mobbed by down, and the only sounds were
people who selfishly wanted His the groans of other prisoners,
healing powers for their temporal dripping water and the rats gnawailments instead of the eternal ing. Still in a precarious situation
healing He offered. He needed no doubt. However, the urgency
that alone, rejuvenated time with had passed. In faith, they turned
God to renew His strength. We to Jesus even though they were
are no different.
probably ankle dip in smelly
muck and beginning to really