The Calm Before the Storm

The Calm Before the Storm

It's about to begin. It's almost time. Butterflies in the stomach...Cotton in the mouth or sweaty palms or both. It's almost my turn. She's looking at me. What will the answer be?

When many things are about to be revealed or many things are about to connect or just one thing that you can't stop thinking about is on the verge of unleashing its effect in your life...

Sometimes this eerie calm sets in. "The Calm Before the Storm."

The fact is there is nothing left to do. You can not now change the outcome. Only prayer and silence before the already determined effect of the unveiling is left to you.

The calm before the storm.

But we see only what our eyes let us see. We forget that there are so many more things that we do not understand. We think in linear time. We might even contemplate whether we can squeeze in one more thing before the climax. We decide no. We decide there is no time left and we are left with the anticipation alone.

The storm.

We perceive that it is not yet. We perceive that it is coming. It will be here any second. We become fixated on the thing and its ramifications. We wonder, what will become of me after this? Or do we? We wonder, Will I service this? We begin to think-I mean even when it's just will the answer be yes or no-we begin to think that if this thing does not go the way we want we will not live on after. Of course, that may actually be true where real danger exists. As in, the calm before the battle begins for a soldier. On the other hand, in most cases, we will survive this too. In fact, in most cases, we have already survived worse than the worst this situation could deal to us.

So, is it the storm that is worse or the anticipation of it.

The mind.

The mind is a powerful thing. We do not use it. Let's face it. We don't even memorize any more. Or even remember well. We can't calculate like used to be necessary. Smaller computers turned out to mean smaller intellects. Or at least less use and if your brain is like a muscle it atrophies from lack of use...

But the mind unleashed is a powerful thing and it can unleash itself at times. your mind can unleash itself on you.

So then, is the storm the event? Is it the anticipation of the event or is it the unleashing of an un-utilized ability to anticipate the event and its ramifications.

Coming events:

Saturday Cross March and festival: This will bring glory to God if we just do as we are supposed to do. My mind wants to wrestle control away from me and away from God to think about all the ramifications. I will not allow it. I submit myself to God. i submit my mind to God.

Jesus' return. If it is soon- I will not see my kids grow up. I will not see my grand kids grow up. if it is soon my friend will be eternally separated from God and me. We will not play together in heaven because he does not accept that God could save us this way or indeed that God cares. It seems that some believe that if it were soon they would do more or be better prepared. If they new it was soon. Tare down the billboards Mr. Billionaire-God said no one may know the time or the season of Jesus Return accept the father Himself. Hopefully he's got enough millions he won't sue me for that-hmmm.

NOW is the calm which I say is actually the storm. Jesus is coming. When? I don't know and I don't have time to waste on letting my mind go crazy about that. I want to be found serving Him when He does come. Perfect love casts out all fear. 1J4:18

Anticipation.

As for delaying while I wait for the ramifications or contemplate the outcome to try to calculate at exactly what second things will go down. No.

As for busily anticipating His return without being about the things that He has commanded. No.

As for ignoring the potential immanence of the unfolding of these events. No.

As for me and my house-We will serve the Lord-A different J.

Alfred Lord Tennision said, I must lose myself in action lest I wither in despair.

The storm is not the storm. The calm before "the storm" is the Storm. Get uncalm.

Pastor Dan Stevenson
http://www.newheightsfellowshipchurch.org/