Calm In The Storm
I'm talking to all the recovering, worry-filled-what-if-ers out there.
Take a minute and think of how far you have come.
Remember how shaky and unsafe you used to feel? Remember those days before you believed and received God's unconditional, never-ending, merciful love?
Maybe you used to feel something like this:
The Old You - hidden in the dark, feeling abandoned, scared, lost, and alone as the winds howled and the storms loomed.
Worrying felt like a security blanket. You prided yourself on imagining the worst-case scenarios so you would be prepared for anything.
You were like a 24-hour weather channel meteorologist with the sleeves of your fancy dress shirt rolled up. You sensationalized fear and scared yourself and everyone else, forecasting calamities that, more often than not, didn't even happen.
When one storm passed, another would follow right behind it, so you'd switch shirts, roll up your sleeves, and resume your worrisome, panic-filled-predicting all over again.
Predicting the worst somehow made you feel safe even if the terrible thing never happened.
Hours...wasted.
But, look at you now!
The New You - found by God, basking in the light, deeply loved, and feeling safe and sound despite what is happening around you.
You now spend time ruminating on all the miraculous ways God has worked things out. You look back at all you've been through and are amazed and grateful for the help that came to you and how God strengthened you to fight and win battles. It all worked out; you can see that now.
This hindsight gives you faith that God's got you and will keep working things out as He has before.
You don't just close your eyes passively; you prepare appropriately but you no longer overthink, overreact, or panic.
You roll down your sleeves, sit in your favorite chair, and grab a coffee, feeling calm despite the storms that rage.
You are safe and sound and you know God is going to work it out.
You listen to the rain, enjoy the howling winds and clapping thunder, and are filled with peace as you trust God will calm the storms. You believe everything will be okay and envision the beauty you will behold after the storm passes.
We are wonderful works in progress as recovering worrying-what-if-ers, so don't be hard on yourself if you fall back into some old patterns.
Don't worry, be calm, and trust that the storm will pass and everything will be okay.
You have come so far; I am so proud of you!
God has found you, and He is never, EVER going to let you go.
Psalm 56:3
When I am afraid, I will put my trust and faith in You.
John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; My [perfect] peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. [Let My perfect peace calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and strength for every challenge.]
Philippians 4: 6-7
Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God. 7And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours].
Mark 4:39
Jesus 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].