Managing the Storms

"He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, 'Quiet! Be still!' Then the wind died down and it was completely calm." - Mark 4:39

I come from a part of our country that has a lot of storms. Regular thunderstorms, tornadic storms, straight-line wind storms, torrential downpours, hurricanes, tropical storms and things like that. We have these here in Massachusetts but not at the frequency of say the South and central part of our country. We are known more for our winter storms. Although scary or challenging we know storms will come. Many are prepared. Many are not prepared.

If Jim Cantore of The Weather Channel shows up near you you know it's going to be a doozy of a storm. He seems to really like to travel to places expecting a hurricane. So let's hope that Mr. Cantore doesn't show up anywhere near us. Nothing against you, Mr. Cantore! We would rather watch you on TV or a stream.

Sometimes storms have nothing to do with the weather outside. They can be events that happen in our personal lives. It seems lately that many storms surround us such as the ongoing pandemic, confronting racism, and extreme political fighting by our national leaders. It is very hard to not be discouraged. We look for answers.

Have you ever considered how you are managing your "storms?"

I was in Israel several years ago when a storm came up one night. There was a lot of lightning and wind. I watched the storm roll in from a rooftop because I was a safe distance away. After 20 minutes the storm had passed. What followed was a beautiful calm as the stars reappeared in the sky. I also thought about the time that a storm came upon Jesus and the disciples.

Out on a lake one night Jesus and His disciples experienced a storm. Jesus was asleep of all things. You probably know of at least one person that can sleep through a storm. Anyway, Jesus was asleep and the disciples were overcome with fear.

The disciples questioned if Jesus cared about them because they didn't want to drown. Jesus woke up, quieted the storm, and asked the disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

A lot of times when people read this story they focus on how the disciples were driven by fear. Maybe a more modern reader will say, "How could they have fear with Jesus by their side?" But we know from reading Mark 4:41 they were still trying to figure out Jesus.

Fear is a part of life. It is uncomfortable, challenging, and outright scary at times. That being said, managing your fears is a very important part of life. If you are a follower of Christ or not, there are actions you can take to help. When I have a fear I'm dealing with I reach out to my friends for support. I've created what I call a "Self-Care Network" to help. They help the storm subside because they help me see more clearly.

So what's your plan?

After the event Jesus would continue to teach the disciples. The storms wouldn't end for them. As a matter of fact they would get worse. He gave them a toolbag to handle the challenges that were ahead of them.

A friend of mine had to leave his house because a tornado was on the way. He executed his plan and got the heck out of Dodge. Yes, he had great fear but he knew how to manage it properly. He told me even in his fear he had a peace within as well. There was a quiet calm he felt.

Stay safe,

Rev. Baxter Chism