Calmness In The Midst Of Busyness

“He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!,’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.” Mark 4:39

Fall is here! This means our lives are full of soccer, football, planning holiday parties, yard work, vintage markets, farmer’s markets, shopping, cooking, baking, and the list goes on and on. Do you sometimes feel like your life is a storm that is about to drown you? All these things we do are fun and we enjoy doing them, but do they clutter your mind so that your focus is out of whack?

Storms can lead to destruction. There can be high winds, damaging hail, flooding rains, lightning, and destructive tornadoes. When all these things happen at once, we immediately go into panic mode. At that point, not only do all the activities fill our time and thoughts but the exhaustion of it all overtake our bodies and minds. We then say, “Jesus, Jesus, wake up! I’m drowning, save me!” Everything that is demanded of us is chewing us up and spitting us out.

The question we need to ask ourselves is, “Is Jesus really asleep, or am I the one that has allowed my faith to rest?”

All the busyness of life leads to damage. We are physically exhausted, our houses become messy, we become short with our loved ones, things get pushed to the side and get put on the “B” list, and the last thing we think about doing is spending 10 minutes in Bible study and prayer.

In the ancient Near East, the sea represented chaotic forces that were only controlled by God. The sea is an example of our lives; add a storm on top of that and you have an unpredictable, scary, and chaotic life.

Jesus says to His disciples in verse 40, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Jesus is point blank asking if they doubt God will take care of them. Jesus asks the same question when Peter doubts he can walk on water and when the disciples forget the bread to feed the five thousand people. Notice that the disciples doubted more than once. I beat myself up for all the times that I doubt God’s control in my life. I want to take the wheel instead of giving it fully to God. Our God is so merciful! Yes, we doubt and wonder how we will get out of our mess, but every time He welcomes us into His arms and gently takes the wheel out of our hands. Jesus calms the storms in our lives with one word, one thought, one action. When we see there is no way out and we run in circles trying to fix things, it is so easy for God.

Jesus simply stood up and said, “Quiet! Be still!”

Think about this, “How have you seen God’s power in your life?” God’s power is unlimited. He has authority and influence over all. Without God’s power, everything in our lives would fall apart. Nothing can stop God - not our doubt, evil desires, busy lives, untamed tongues, or our little faith. God has the power to keep His promises and He promises to never leave you or forsake you. When you feel like you are drowning in your busy life, remember His omnipotent power. His power is enough to handle whatever life throws our way.

One more thing I want us to notice from this passage is this - after Jesus rebuked the winds, it was completely calm. The word calm means freedom from motion or disturbance. Freedom from disturbance is exactly what we need. During the storm, there is no calmness, which means we are full of disturbance. The world disturbs our time with God. When we give God the control of our busy lives, He calms our lives and frees up time to spend with Him. We have time to build our relationship with Jesus through prayer, study, and worship. When we spend time with Jesus, our faith grows stronger. Let us jump on that cycle instead of the cycle of busyness that the world places in front of us.

Digging Deeper:

Read Mark 4:35-41, Matthew 14:22-33, and Matthew 16:5-12

What is making your life chaotic right now?

How have you witnessed God’s power in your life?

What can you do to grow your relationship with Jesus during the calmness He gives you?

For example, I have written on my calendar each morning after the kids go to school, “15 minutes in prayer.” In this 15 minutes I am writing out my prayers. I like different colored pens, so I’m making it interesting and fun by adding colors and drawings to my prayers. This may seem silly, but whatever it takes for you to look forward to your time with God, do it.

I start with a Bible verse that stands out to me that day that I can pray over myself and family. Then I list out God’s attributes that I need or am thankful for that day. Then I go into thankfulness, followed by my asks and requests. I end with prayer requests that others have given me. It is not long or lengthy but it does put my prayers on the forefront of my mind and I enjoying sitting down with God each day.

It is amazing what God gives you as a result of giving Him time.