When you can’t change your circumstances, change your concentration. Peter walked on water until his concentration broke (Matthew 14:22-33). Once he took his eyes off Jesus and saw the wind and the waves, he began to sink. Likewise, if you concentrate on your circumstances, your soul will sink. But if you can concentrate on the Creator, fixing your eyes on Jesus and all that you have to be grateful for, you can rise above any situation.
Never decide on anything or start to do anything while emotion is agitating like a roaring sea. Again, during that time even our conscience is rendered unreliable.
Storms did not bother Christ. In fact, Christ had dominion and authority over the wind and waves. The wind and waves were no competition for Christ. As they vehemently crashed upon the disciples’ boat — Jesus was walking on water. Notice that in the same environment that the disciples were struggling in — Jesus was thriving. Christ wants you to thrive in the midst of the storm. Don’t let the wind and waves of the world serve as distraction.
Any one can sing in the sunshine. You and I should sing on when the sun has gone down, or when clouds pour out their rain, for Christ is with us.
Let this encourage those of you who belong to Christ: the storm may be tempestuous, but it is only temporary. The clouds that are temporarily rolling over your head will pass, and then you will have fair weather, an eternal sunshine of glory. Can you not watch with Christ for one hour?
Deep contended joy comes from a place of complete security and confidence [in God] – even in the midst of trial.
Worshippers aren’t made when they see the enemy on the run, put to flight. The truth is, worshippers of God are made during dark, stormy nights. And how we respond to our storms determines just what kind of worshippers we are.
The peace of our souls does not have to rise and fall with unpredictable people or situations. Our feelings will shift, of course. People do affect us. But the peace of our souls is tethered to all that God is. And though we can’t predict His specific plans, the fact that God will work everything for good is a completely predictable promise.
God often uses something external to bring the Church to her knees. We ought to see it as the kindness of God when he allows trouble to drive us to prayer.
Sometimes the Lord rides out the storm with us and other times He calms the restless sea around us. Most of all, He calms the storm inside us in our deepest inner soul.