Sometimes.....

All who sail the sea of faith

Find out before too long

How quickly blue skies can grow dark

And gentle winds grow strong

Suddenly fear is like white water

Pounding on the soul

Still we sail on knowing

That our Lord is in control

Sometimes He calms the storm

With a whispered peace be still

He can settle any sea

But it doesn't mean He will

Sometimes He holds us close

And lets the wind and waves go wild

Sometimes He calms the storm

And other times He calms His child

He has a reason for each trial

That we pass through in life

And though we're shaken

We cannot be pulled apart from Christ

No matter how the driving rain beats down

On those who hold to faith

A heart of trust will always

Be a quiet peaceful place

I happened to hear this song on WCQR as I was working in the garage this evening. I had heard it before, but I never really let the lyrics sink in. It reminded me of the many times that I have begged God to immediately step in and calm the storms in my life.

The night before I was to have a hysterosalpingogram (another fertility test to rule out any problems with my fallopian tubes/uterus), I was terrified---terrified that the Dr. might find something wrong with me and that I might never be able to have children. For comfort, I read the words in the gospel of Mark chapter 4 describing the fear felt by the disciples as they watched in horror as the violent water around them tossed their boat back and forth among the rising waves. And there in the midst of all this raging storm, Jesus was sleeping peacefully. It only took the sound of His voice to make the waters calm. Oh, how I longed for Him to step in and make everything peaceful for me. As I've said before, I literally wanted Him to show up, wrap His arms around me and do a miracle.

While the HSG procedure went perfectly and I checked out A-Okay, we still did not get pregnant that month. I so much wanted God to just fix our situation with a simple command. I KNEW that He had the power to do so, and I really, really believed that He could. But, even though He had the power to do it, He didn't. Instead, like this song says, He held me close and let the wind and waves go wild for a while longer.

Looking back now, I realize that if He had just showed up and "fixed" the problem right away, I would have missed out on so much Daddy/daughter time. Sometimes, I think God allows the storms in our lives to last a little longer just so He has a little more time to hold us close and remind us that nothing can shake us from the safe embrace we have in His arms. These are the times we must cry out to Him "Jehovah-Rohi – "God my Shepherd," and He will pick us up just like a little lamb and give us refuge from the storm.

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Psalm 91:1-2