The Calm

It’s the calm before the storm we say, and we know it is true both in weather, and our own lives. In recent days there have been some devastating hurricanes which caused widespread devastation across the Caribbean and into some southern US States. Sadly lives have been lost, and equally sad is the fact that these storms will happen again!

When the hurricane is approaching, warnings are given and homeowners start to make preparations by shuttering windows, and stocking up on essential provisions. With today’s advanced forecasting, these storms seldom catch us by surprise. We can react to the approaching hurricane, as we batten down the hatches! Then we tough it out as best we can in the hope that we have prepared well enough. Then a strange thing happens, right in the middle of the hurricane comes the uncanny calm. It seems out of place because we know we are in the ‘eye’ of the storm and it will start again. We have taken the necessary precautions, but this window of calm perhaps allows us to think about our mortality, and the people who are important to us, and trust they are safe. In essence, we get time to calculate how bad the storm has been, and are warned that it will be repeated.

Our hurricanes in life are like that. We usually know when they are coming. There are warning signs, and the wise will take the steps they know will be necessary to ride it out. Our storms will be hurricanes of financial distress, illness, family health, or death of a loved one. I would also suggest it can be the worry of the state of the church, or the strength of our own faith. Sometimes we have to just sit tight and ride out the storm, and then the eerie calm of the ‘eye’ comes. This is the time to hunker down and pray for the things we have no control over, and leave in God’s hands. Sometimes this is exactly the time to re-evaluate the strength of our faith, or our church. These things are in our hands, and we can usually do something in addition to pray.

When the calm of the ‘eye’ has passed, we know what will be coming. It already took its effect on us and will do so again. However, this time we can determine to change something that’s in our control that we didn’t take care of when the storm first hit. It may be time to take our faith deeper and to put some of those fears we carry, behind us where they belong. We may know the storm is coming, but we don’t always understand how it will affect us. That is the very time to use the period of calm. If we don’t, we will be no stronger when the next hurricane hits us, and let’s be honest, nothing is surer. Indeed, the eye of the storm can be a real Godsend.

Calm Before The Storm

Personal story: there was a lady who didn’t keep very well for a long time, but she was always telling us that she wasn’t doing so good. We listened and then moved on to do the other things that we saw as important. Then we noticed a change, slowly and over time, she got quieter until she wasn’t saying much about her problems, even though we were all well aware of her condition. It struck us all, that the silence was a sure way of knowing that she really wasn’t feeling well this time, and we took notice. But it took the silence to bring it to our attention.

There can be a period of calm before the storm too, which should also make us sit up and take notice. Have you seen changes in the lives of those around you? Have they gone quiet? What about your family? How about your church? I am asking for a reason. One which has disturbed me for a few days now.

Take the hypothetical example of a church which is going along, quite nicely, just getting by numerically and financially, and taking for granted that it would always be there, because it has always been a part of your life, and so it becomes ‘part of the furniture’. Then you are hit with a bombshell. Your place of worship is threatened, or at least has to change beyond recognition. You then have a choice to make. You, and everyone else who uses the facility so readily and without thought.

Take the example a little further. A church meeting is held, and attended by a few, who hear the Pastor share his troubled heart. His church that he has worked in for the past several years, is slowly declining and he sees the warning lights and hears crisis bells peal. He shares openly and sincerely, what is a difficult message. As a church, we are in deep trouble. Now try to imagine the response?

The roar of silence. Stony silence. Deafening silence. How do you read this story? Is this silence a confirmation that there is resignation to a downward spiral? Or maybe it is the effect of hearing something that wasn’t expected, and you are in shock? Or again, maybe it is the calm before the storm. I don’t know what lies ahead for this particular church, but the silence troubled me, and reminded me of the dear lady at the start of this piece. Now, we are in no doubt about the severity of the situation. The atmosphere has changed, and it cannot be denied. I suppose the silence may also mean that the small group in question is taking stock as how to respond to make an improvement that will be noticed, and the sooner the better. Perhaps the silence shows a sense of urgency. One thing is certain in my own mind. This particular Pastor is hurting, and must also be feeling very vulnerable. We need to show support where we can to the pastoral family unit, and uphold him and the church in intercessory prayer.

As I thought about this situation, two verses kept coming to mind, and I will share them with you in closing my thoughts. To my thinking this particular church needs a vision to grow, and secondly and much more importantly, the church of Jesus Christ will always survive wherever it stays true to the core gospel message:

Where there is no vision, the people perish. Proverbs 29:18

...I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18

So my friends who have read this far, over to you. What do you think? Do you have any suggestions that would help to improve the chances of a good recovery for this particular wounded and ailing patient? You can share them here.