Living Secure: How to Have Peace In Times of Chaos

By Chesed F.

Waves cascaded over the small cracked wooden boat, which keeled under the weight of the breakers. Salt water filled the men’s nostrils, and heavy rain splattered onto their already soaked tunics. “Turn the boat!” screamed a man with brown curly hair and flashing eyes. Although he had screamed with all his strength, his voice was picked up by the wind and carried far away, tossed on the waves and drowned in the sound of cracking thunder. A huge lightning bolt raced across the sky, followed by a split of thunder that seemed to come from the heavens themselves. The men, who knew the sea and all her treachery well, ducked down into the bowels of the boat, hoping for some semblance of safety. “Master!” called the brown haired man, anger and terror coating the word. “Why must you sleep? Do you not care that we are about to drown?” The Master, arising from a deep sleep, stood and began speaking in a still, small voice. “Quiet. Be still.” Instantly, the waves receded, and the thunder went silent. The wind was stifled and the air stood still. The men in the boat turned, incredulous wonder overtaking their fear and anger. Their fearfulness seemed silly, insignificant in the wake of the display of power and perfect control they had just seen. The Master spoke; “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

There is no question that horrifying storms can overshadow our lives and make us feel as though God is absent. This story that is recounted in Matthew 8:23-27 shows us the reality that our lives can become in a sinful world. One beautiful thing about the Bible is that it never denies the pain of human suffering and tragedy, and not only goes so far as to acknowledge it, but also tells true stories of the pain of human experience, in great detail. The story of Job perfectly mirrors the human response to tragedy, as well as God’s response. Job, after losing everything, tempted to fall into the trap of bitterness, questions God. “Let the Almighty answer me. Let my accuser put his indictment in writing. Surely I would wear it on my shoulder. I would put it on like a crown. I would give him an account of my every step. Like a prince I would approach him." (Job 31:35-40 NIV) Job was taking God to court for His divine decisions, placing himself on the judge’s bench. God responds by questioning Job; “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?” (Job 38:4 KJV). God answers Job’s questions of suffering with perfect control and a display of His eternal goodness. Job did not turn God away in his hunt for peace in the midst of chaos but rather opened up a dialogue with God and questioned Him. This is how Job obtained peace, by engaging with God, and allowing his fears to be stilled. Peace is not the absence of pain and chaos, but rather inviting God into pain and chaos. So, how do we engage with God in the midst of a raging storm?

The first thing to glean from the story of Jesus calming the storm in the boat is that Jesus waited for the disciples to come to Him before He calmed the storm. The second is that the storm happened in the first place, and Jesus didn’t calm it before it happened. He allowed the storm to become so powerful that it almost overtook the boat; the wind so loud that it drowned out all other sounds.The disciples were angry at their predicament, yet God was always in their midst. He never left, even when it seemed as though He was absent.

Peace in times of crisis is oftentimes uncomfortable, and you might be alone in your stillness with God. Absolute peace is counter-cultural, pushing the limits of our faithfulness to God. However, once we begin to practice peace in chaos regularly, it will become a natural response from the products of disorder. We can have peace by coming to God with our terror and anger over injustice. When it feels difficult to hear His voice over the storm we can always turn to His Word, which is filled with truth for every situation. We should trust God, His perfect leadership of our lives, and His control of all circumstances.

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Chesed F. lives in Colorado with her mom, sister, and golden retriever named Khusi. She is sixteen years old and has been a student at NorthStar for two years. Chesed has been dancing for eight years, with a specific focus on ballet. As well as being on the Navigator staff, Chesed is a member of National Honors Society and spends her free time volunteering to help underprivileged children with literacy. She hopes to pursue a career in law and hopes to always incorporate the beauty of writing and words into her daily life.