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The Eye of the Storm

Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. Matthew 8:26

Photo Courtesy of Pixabay.com

Our home has an open floor-plan. It seemed like a great idea when our kids were little. I could be cooking and cleaning in the kitchen, and still see and hear my kids while they played in the family room. Now that they’re teens and a tween, however, that open-floor plan can be a challenge.

It seems every time my husband and I finally sit down in the family room to watch a movie or show, my kids suddenly become busy and noisy in the kitchen. Without fail, every time there’s a pivotal moment when one of the characters is about to say something profound and story-altering, one of my kids turns on the ice machine, or drops a pot or a pan, completely drowning out our ability to hear, even when we turn the volume up to 100.

I’m starting to see the same thing happening in my spiritual life.

When I consistently carve out time for prayer each morning, I feel myself growing closer and closer to God. The connection gets so deep, it feels as if some big revelation is coming, as if God is going to reveal something profound and life-altering to me. It’s always at that pivotal time that my life gets thrown into chaos, with a busyness that has my head spinning and my days devoid of time to get quiet with Him. Ultimately, His voice gets drowned out in the noise of it all.

Yet, where we have to turn up the volume on our TVs when our homes get loud, we have to strive for more silence when life gets loud. It’s not easy to find, but there’s always quiet in the eye of any storm. It’s at the center, and can only be reached if we move toward it – head down to shield ourselves from the flying debris, focused on our destination, and fueled by what we know awaits.

God is always waiting in the midst of the clatter and noise. Whether we escape to the bathroom, pantry or backyard, close our eyes and breathe Him in, He can push back the winds of chaos and drown out the noise, wrapping us up in a peace where His voice can be heard.

Questions for Reflection:

  • Have I noticed that on the brink of a breakthrough, life tends to get more hectic to thwart my moving forward?
  • Have I tried stepping away from the chaos for even five minutes, closing my eyes and breathing Him in in order to hear where He wants to lead me next?

Curious to view, listen and/or read some of the recent interviews I’ve done? Click on the “Interview” tab above, or click here.

There’s always quiet in the eye of any storm

6 thoughts on “The Eye of the Storm”

  1. You know, Claire, you really should appreciate the noise your family makes. I didn’t have that as a single parent who had to share my sons with their dad. I craved every moment of all that noise with them and found God right in the midst of the noise. I miss it even more now that they are grown and gone with families of their own that I only get to see once or twice a year. The silence, the solitude is mine in spades, and sometimes I feel I’m drowning in it. God has blessed you with an intact family, be glad and celebrate it!

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    • I absolutely love this perspective Lynn Marie! Thank you! It’s so funny how the grass is always greener on the other side. It’s just my kids’ darned timing! Ask my husband and he’ll attest – it’s always at the most key moments in the show or movie. It seems they have some 6th sense and rev up their noisemaking at the exact moment when we need to hear what’s going on. But getting your take on things will hopefully help me be more patient and grateful in the midst of the noise. Thanks so much for sharing!

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  2. Claire! a perfect solution….. turn on the close captioning. It works like a charm and you’ll never miss a single word. I always have it on with a movie and you get use to relying on it for those noisy house times.
    Pretty soon, before you know it, your house will be quiet and still and you’ll wish for those times back. Trust me!

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