September 5, 2024
I love being around water. I love everything about it. I especially love the beach! I love the sound of the ocean, the smell of the ocean, the wind and the waves. The crazy thing is I don’t like to get “in” the ocean. I am just an observer.
As I was thinking about this, I was reminded of a time we were at the beach with some very dear friends. The ocean that week was crazy. There had been a red flag warning almost every day. I don’t remember seeing the waves so large or so angry in a long time. They just seemed to be so forceful.
There were people who I saw get in the ocean, but they also seemed to get out fairly quickly. You could watch them get tossed and knocked down by the force of the waves. They very quickly decided they could not win the battle of the waves and the ocean.
As I was sitting, watching the ocean, my thoughts turned to many things and I felt like God gave me some reminders about the water, wind, and the waves. First of all, the waves will not stay forceful, large, and overpowering forever. The calmness will return. Isn’t that just like our lives?
There are days when my life is so chaotic and crazy. My schedule seems like it is non-stop. This is a very busy season for work and there always seem to be so many things to accomplish. It’s also always busy at home. There are four girls who all have different things going on – dance, cheer, friends, and ball games. And you did hear me when I said there were FOUR girls – enough said? (Side note: we really should feel sorry for my husband being the only male in a sea of girls but that’s another story.)
My point is that the chaos is a season. Just like the waves might be crazy this week they can be calm next week. They will not stay on a red flag status forever. Life comes in waves just like the ones in the ocean. When things seem crazy just hold on. Take a deep breath. The calm will come again.
Another thing I noticed was the sound of the waves. They are so loud! The roar seems to drown out all of the other sounds around you. Isn't that just like our lives?
When there is so much "outside noise" we sometimes allow that to drown out the voice of God. Our mind tends to focus on the sound of the wrong thing. It has to be a conscious effort to drown out the noise of everything around us to be able to focus on God. The noise can be a distraction. It can be a hindrance. It is up to us to find a way to turn our focus to God.
Honestly, if we don't find a way to drown out the noise the noise can drown us. If we want to focus on listening and hearing from God, we must drown out everything around us. In Mark 4:39, the Bible says, "Jesus got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, quiet, be still." Jesus knew the importance of quiet.
Don't lose your focus even when the waves of life are loud. As I was thinking on what I was writing, God reminded me of something else. Even when the waves are out of control and the sound is deafening there is still one constant: the sun. The sun is still there whether there are double red flags, the waves are crazy and out of control and the sound is extremely loud.
And you know what that means. Even when my life is so chaotic and I feel like I am being blown in every direction the Son (Jesus) is still there. It also means when the sound of life is so loud and distracting the Son (Jesus) is still there.
Jesus is the constant. The constant in the storms of life, the constant in the unpredictable, the constant in the chaos. There are always going to be those days when life is messy and it seems there are problems at every turn. But even on those days the sun is still there, and the Son of God is still in control. He is more powerful than any problem we might face. When life is full of chaos, Jesus can bring peace, the kind of peace that can make you feel His presence even when there is trouble outside. John 14:27 says, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." The warmth of the presence of the SON in our life will keep our hearts and path steady during chaos and rough times. Jesus is the constant as He is always there, and He will never change.
I can't imagine living life without Him. What about you? Are you facing angry forceful waves in your life? Is the sound of the world drowning you? Look up. The sun is still there and that should be your reminder that God is still there. Allow the warmth of God to calm your chaos. Allow the peace of God to flood your heart. Allow the sound of this world to fade away and focus on being still and quiet. There is no better place to be than basking in the love, warmth, and peace of the only One who can quiet the storm around you. Just be still. Be still and know that HE is there, always.
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Jill Johnson, a staff member at the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, finds spiritual applications in her everyday experiences as a wife, mother, grandmother and Georgian. She is available to speak to your church's women's gatherings. Reach her at jjohnson@gabaptist.org.
