Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” ~ Matthew 8: 23-27

Yesterday I awoke feverish and shaking with chills, a sign that yet another bout of mastitis had hit me unannounced. Only a day before I was totally healthy, hiking through the woods of Maryland with family and friends, giddily picking leaves for our “leaf project” for school. I decided to stay home from our homeschool co-op and two friends graciously volunteered to take the big girls to their respective schools for the day. I tried to rest. Abigail seemed unwilling to nap. After a little crying (and no napping for either of us), I sighed and picked her up, grabbing my phone along the way to receive a text message:

“All Hill schools are on lock down because of a shooter at Navy Yard…” My friend told me her husband would pick up my little girl if needed, as her preschool is down the street from the Yard. Not the type of text any mother wants to get. A shooter killing people nearby my kid’s school. Once again, I tried to rest. I prayed. I sought The Lord. I lifted my eyes higher and remembered, interestingly enough, the  verse the girls are memorizing this week, the one they repeated right before walking out the door: “Yea, though i walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” – Psalm 23:4

Neither of the girls knew the events that occurred yesterday, thankfully, as they were shielded by the adults around them beautifully and carefully,  but I did. And any fearful thoughts or feelings I had were comforted and calmed by that good Word – “though I walk (not denying the reality of circumstances)…I will fear no evil (a chosen response of the will) Why? Because You, Lord, are with me. And you are with my kids.

Being sick allows you time to sit (if you do as you are told, which I sometimes don’t do – I will admit I can be stubborn!) and think (if you can tune out distractions, like second by second “Breaking News updates, ” as I faced yesterday…eventually I just turned these off completely). I am reading Matthew lately and today my reading included this passage of Jesus in the storm. Something hit me in a way it hadn’t before – “…the boat was covered in waves, but He was asleep.” I repeated this again in my mind. The boat Jesus was in was covered in waves, yet He slept undisturbed. His circumstances should have overwhelmed Him to the point of death, and yet He slept silent, undisturbed in body or in spirit. What allowed him to be at a place of such peace? A deep relationship of trust and confidence in His Heavenly Father. He knew that nothing could happen to Him without His Father’s bidding, outside of His sovereign plan.

Today I am encouraged that while circumstances may often be out of my control, my response to them is not. I can choose faith instead of fear, trust instead of anxiety, and confidence in my Heavenly Father’s care instead of doubt in His plan. But I will only be able to make that good choice in the very difficult occasions life presents if I daily make the choice to cultivate a lifestyle of intimacy with my Father. The more I know Him and am certain of His character, the less I will fear what life throws my way.

What about you, friend? Has your ship been tossed and flooded today? this week? this year? Christ wants to calm you, to fill you with His peace that passes understanding. But first, you must lift your eyes off your circumstances and onto Him. Instead of being overwhelmed by the floods of evil, sickness, stress, and troubles of life, lets be overwhelmed with His Presence instead.