Have the effects of Storm Eunice, Covid-19, or perhaps recent news announcements left you feeling unsettled? Sarah Rock-Evans, Ordinand at St George & St Paul, Tiverton, shares how we can find peace in turbulent times.
It seems that there is a lot going on to unsettle us at the moment. Whether it is the physical buffeting of stormy weather, the changing news around Coronavirus restrictions or international concerns about Russia and Ukraine, there is turbulence in the air. Of course, many of us face individual challenges and changes in addition to all of this.
If we are honest, turbulence is rarely far away. The highs and lows of today may feel particularly pronounced but if we look back over recent months or over many centuries the World has always been in flux, bringing opportunities and challenges.
As I have reflected on this recently. I have been reminded that God calls us to live from our security in Him as our unchanging source of love, peace and hope, not from our feelings which fluctuate with our circumstances. If we can learn to master this we can be anchored through change, whether that brings us difficulty which may swamp us, or an emotional high which can also throw us off course.
Psalm 46 captures this well, opening with these verses:
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”
And further on verse 10 tells us:
“He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
God is ever-present, always with us but we don’t always notice Him. If you can find a short time for silence this week, you may find this prayer a helpful way to connect with Him and find that place of stillness in your heart, even as life spins around you.
To do this, find a comfortable place to sit or lie down, then breathe gently, repeating the following prayer as many times as you find helpful:
Inhale: “Be still and know” Exhale: “That I am God.” Inhale: “I will not be afraid.” Exhale: “For you are with me.” I pray that this week you will be able to find time to be still and know God as your ever-present help. Sarah Rock-Evans Ordinand
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