Sermon: Weathering the Storms of Life

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Weathering the Storms of Life

By Rev. Julie Yarborough

June 8, 2008

[ Audio (mp3, 5Mb) ]

The storm may rage but I am unshaken, though the winds blow, they leave me unmoved; for the rock of my foundation stands firm.

– Peter Abelard 1079-1142

It's still not possible to predict bad weather exactly, but the ability of people to triumph over adversity is one thing that will always be in my forecast.

– Jim Cantore, The Weather Channel

father grew up in Oklahoma where tornados are a frequent occurrence. As a result, he made sure that his children knew what to do in the event of a tornado warning. We knew that a tornado watch meant that conditions were right for a tornado, but that a tornado warning meant that one had been sighted in our area, and that we had better take cover right away. We were given the wisdom of the day, which was to go to the Southwest corner of the basement and wait until the danger had passed. We knew what to watch for: an eerie green sky color or a strange energy in the air meant to turn on the radio or TV right away.

Tornado watches and warnings are a fairly common event in Nashville, TN, where I grew up. We even had tornado drills in the public schools, where periodically we would all go into the hallway away from the windows (which could break) and sit cross legged on the floor with our hands over our heads. We practiced these drills so that we would instinctively know what to do in the event of an actual tornado. I remember one year that several tornados actually did touch down in Nashville, and it even earned the nickname “Tornado Alley” for a while. We were on a vacation to the Outer Banks that year, when a tornado came through our neighborhood and uprooted a tree in our front yard. It fell across our busy street, trapping a woman in her Porsche and breaking her leg. (As kids, we were sorry to have missed all the excitement!)

If you go on-line, you can find all sorts of suggestions for disaster preparedness. The Red Cross, FEMA, NOAA and all sorts of other sites, have lists of items that you should gather in the event of an oncoming storm or other emergency: food and water for each member of your family for 3-7 days, blankets, pillows, clothing, sturdy shoes, rain gear, a first aid kit, medicines and prescription drugs, toiletries, moisture wipes, a flashlight with extra batteries, a battery-operated radio, a fully charged cell phone and a traditional telephone (not a cordless one, which needs electricity to work), cash, keys, important documents, tools, full tanks of gas, pet care items, toys books and games, and any special items needed for babies or the elderly. Whew!

It's good and important to be prepared and to know what to do in the event of an emergency, and to know where to go and what to do when the storm warnings come, but sometimes in our lives, there are catastrophic events that occur without any warning. These are storms that come out of nowhere when our lives seem to be sailing along smoothly. There is no predicting these storms, and no way to prevent the damage and suffering that comes when we are caught in their path.

There are many examples of these types of storms:

Learning that your spouse is having an affair and wants a divorce.
Being diagnosed with prostate or breast cancer, MS, or any number of other chronic illnesses.
Losing your job after many years as a faithful employee.
Getting a phone call that your child has been killed in a car accident.
Living with a loved one who has a drug or alcohol addiction (in which case a storm can blow up at any time of the day or night!)
Watching a family member be convicted of a crime and sent to prison.
Having a child diagnosed with a serious mental illness.
Discovering that a loved one has a chronic or terminal illness, and that you will be the primary caregiver.
Experiencing the death of a spouse or partner.
Living in a physically or sexually abusive relationship (And let me just say: If you are in an abusive relationship now, I urge you to get to a place of safety! It is never smart to stay in the path of an oncoming, potentially deadly storm.)

Although certainly not comprehensive, this is a pretty extensive list of the storms that life can throw in our path. You may be surprised to know that if you are going through any of these experiences right now, you are not alone in this community. Every one of these examples that I've given has been experienced by at least one member of Christ Church.

One piece of wisdom in the face of inclement weather is to seek out community, so that you don't have to ride out the storm alone. This congregation is full of people who have experienced pain and suffering, and want to be present to others who are also going through stressful life experiences. You do not have to weather life's storms all by yourself.

The main character of the movie Beyond Rangoon, is a young woman named Laura whose husband and child have been brutally murdered, and she is living with the immense pain and numbing grief that comes after the shock of such evil begins to wear off. Laura's sister has invited her to travel to Southeast Asia, hoping that the trip will help her to get on with her life. The two sisters are traveling with a tour group, and when the time comes to leave Burma and go on to Thailand, Laura discovers that her passport is missing. She is forced to stay for an extra day until a new one can be issued. She tells her sister to go on with the rest of the tour group, and they plan to meet in Thailand in a couple of days.

Unbeknownst to them, however, Burma is about to become engulfed in civil unrest, and Laura will be unable to leave the country. During her extended stay, Laura befriends a Burmese professor, and in a memorable scene, she tells him about her losses and her deep sadness. She thinks aloud about her suffering, “I was brought up to believe that if I were good, if I worked hard, then I had a right to happiness. . . I was a fool, wasn't I?” After some silence, the professor replies, “We are taught that suffering is the one promise that life always keeps. So if happiness comes, we know it is a precious gift, which is only ours for a brief time.”

Please hear me when I say: It is not possible to be good enough or to work hard enough or to be faithful enough to escape the stresses and suffering of life. At some point in our lives, the storms will most likely come, often when they are least expected. To quote John Lennon, “Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans.”

In our text today, the disciples were on their way across the Sea of Galilee, when a huge windstorm blew up quite suddenly, and apparently, quite unexpectedly. The boat was filling with water, and the disciples, many of whom were fishermen and quite skilled boaters in their own right, were truly afraid. This storm must've been a whopper. They called out to Jesus, who was sleeping in the hold, and he came out and rebuked the wind and waves, and calmed the storm. Then he turned to the disciples and asked, “Where is your faith?” And the text tells us that the disciples were afraid and amazed at the one who commanded even the water and waves, which obeyed him.

What can we learn from this passage that we can apply to the storms that blow up unexpectedly in our own lives? Well, first, we can note that Jesus was in the boat with the disciples. God has not promised us that we will be protected from storms, only that we will not be alone in the midst of them. God has not promised to keep us safe from harm, but has promised to be with us in the midst of suffering. Secondly, we can note that the disciples turned to Jesus in the face of adversity. We too can call out to Jesus or to God in prayer when we are afraid or in danger. We can reach out to the One who can give us strength to go on, even in the face of adversity. The storms of our lives will not likely be halted in such a dramatic way, yet the spiritual power that comes from trusting in God at such times should not be overlooked or underestimated.

Lastly, we can heed the question that Jesus asks the disciples, and ask it of ourselves: Where is our faith? How are we doing on our spiritual journeys? This is an important question, because there is such a thing as spiritual preparedness that can help us to weather the storms that come our way and to recover and rebuild in the aftermath of devastation. If we are spiritually grounded, then we may be able to meet calamity with a peace that passes all rational understanding. We will surely have the resources at hand to help us through the storm, even in the midst of pain and suffering.

Spiritual preparedness consists of a few simple practices. First, we should be comfortable with prayer. If we have a practice of praying every day – spending time in conversation with God, or in silence, listening for God's voice in our lives - then we will naturally turn to prayer in the midst of an emergency. We will know that prayer can bring comfort and peace, and can sustain us when we need it the most.

Secondly, we would be wise to have some knowledge of scripture. A cursory knowledge of Biblical passages that can bring solace in times of trouble can be a very important tool when we are in the midst of dark times. The 23rd Psalm is a great place to start, and that's why Chuck has the confirmands commit it to memory every year. There are many other Psalms and passages throughout the Bible that can also bring comfort.

One of my personal favorites is Romans 8, verses 38 and 39: “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Another one of my favorites is Jeremiah 29:11- 13: “For Surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart.” Spend some time finding your favorite scriptures, those that bring you solace and comfort, so that when you really need them they will be right at your fingertips.

Another way to be spiritually prepared is to actively participate in a community of faith. Come to worship on a regular basis. Become involved in the life of the congregation by participating in committees and small groups. Invest in the church- not only with financial gifts but also with your time and talents. Get to know your neighbors in the pews. You will find that the more you give to the life of this congregation, the more you will receive on so many levels.

Just like tornado drills prepared the students in my elementary school to know what to do when a bad storm came our way; practicing prayer, learning scripture, coming to worship and getting involved in the Christ Church community during fair weather times will enable you to know instinctively where to turn and how to respond when the storms approach.

When we are spiritually prepared and grounded, we will know what to do and where to go in the event of unexpected catastrophe. We will be able to say with confidence and conviction: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, through the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult… The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge.” (Psalm 46: 1-3, 7)

Amen