Just Ask Jesus: How can I remain calm in the eye of the storm?

Have you ever had anxiety fill your chest with uneasiness?  I know I have.  It could have been over an issue with one of your kids, or a scary meeting with the boss, or while sitting in the waiting room in a doctor’s office.  It’s that heavy, shaky nervousness that grows inside of you to the point of near overwhelm.  I guess just about everyone can relate to that uncomfortable feeling.

Jesus often speaks to me in songs and lyrics.  I love that about Him. One day, when I was feeling that level of anxiety about an upcoming meeting, I began to hear in my spirit the song Eye of the Storm by Ryan Stevenson. The chorus of the song reminds us:

In the eye of the storm (yeah, yeah)
You remain in control (yes you do, Lord)
In the middle of the war, You guard my soul
You alone are the anchor, when my sails are torn
Your love surrounds me (Your love surrounds me)
In the eye of the storm (in the eye of the storm)

 

But, Jesus, How do I do that? How can I remain calm in the eye of the storm I’m in right now?

I continued to rant for a bit to the Lord about my troubles; about the reality of the situation that I was facing.  Surely He knows that it’s not fair. But, then I quieted myself down and I tuned to the spontaneity of the Holy Spirit…

Then Jesus showed me King David playing his harp, gently. He was crying. He had anguish in his face as he played. He was pouring out his troubles to the Lord through his music and his tears. He didn’t say a word. Then, I saw him stop crying, and he just was playing. His eyes were closed and he was just letting his fingers brush the strings. Suddenly, his face and countenance changed. He had met with God in his heart and he was comforted. He grabbed a tablet and started writing. I felt in that moment that this must have been what it was like when David wrote a psalm.

Lord, Thank You for these images. The music gave me a new way to hear your voice. What do you most want me to understand about this experience and imagery?

David was a man after my own heart because he was honest with Me. He told me the truth about how he was feeling. He found his comfort, his answers and my love when he searched for Me. I can’t be helpful to you without your whole heart. Come to me with truth in your heart and without busyness or personal motives. Be still, cease striving, relax and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10 AMP) Trust me. Believe that I have your best interests at heart. David did that and you can too!

This message from the Lord and this imagery of David reminded me of an important 3 part prayer. First, pour out your whole heart to the Lord. He knows everything anyway. Pasting on a good Christian smile and not telling Him the truth will not get you anywhere. It’s OK to admit that you need God. Next, tune to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to speak to your heart. Sometimes Jesus speaks with images like He did in the above example, and sometimes you will just hear Him speaking with the still small voice in your Spirit. Jesus knows EXACTLY what you need to feel better. He will speak truth into your heart that is consistent with His character, His Names and His Promises. Finally, agree with God when He reminds you that He is bigger than your circumstances.  Trust Him when He tells you that He’s got this under control.    And when He tells you that you can trust Him, believe Him.  He is the Sovereign King of kings.

That’s exactly what David did. He poured out his heart, paused to listen to God, and then agreed and reminded himself and God who HE was and what He would do to help. David would say:

Psalm 3:1 1 Lord, how many are my foes!
How many rise up against me!  2 Many are saying of me,
“God will not deliver him.”b

Then after a pause, the Psalm would switch tones;…

Psalm 3: 3 But you, Lord, are a shield around me,
my glory, the One who lifts my head high.
4 I call out to the Lord,
and he answers me from his holy mountain.
5 I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.
6 I will not fear though tens of thousands
assail me on every side.

I tried this 3 part prayer before my scary meeting. I poured my heart out to Jesus, reminding Him of the consequences if this thing goes sour. He didn’t fall of his throne. Then I tuned to flow and the Lord reminded me that He is in control. I agreed with God and spoke out loud some truths in the Bible like: The One in me is bigger than the one who is in the world (1 John 4:4); I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13) ; The Lord is my Banner (Exodus 17:15)… He will fight for me and give me victory because I am on His side (Proverbs 21:31) ! As I stated these truths, timidly at first and then with more conviction and with increased volume, I felt the anxiety feeling diminishing until it was totally gone. I walked into that meeting without a semblance of anxiety. And God showed up! What I thought was spiritual warfare, was actually God setting the table for something beautiful.

Believe God. That’s all He wants from us. God is believable. Trust the COMFORTER do His job. He’s good at it!