A Prayer to Find Calm In God's Presence
By Chris Eyte
“The Lord said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’” 1 Kings 19:11-13
The other morning I opened my eyes after a deep sleep to see a large black slug blocking my vision. My mind reacted quickly, recognizing from experience what had happened - it was another bleed in my left eye from diabetic retinopathy. I could see nothing but a marmalade of ugly red clouds, swirling in the vitreous of my eyeball as I turned my head.
I have had these bleeds many times over the years. In fact, my right eye went completely blind 15 years ago, and I had a major eye operation called a vitrectomy to restore my sight. That had involved the surgeon putting a needle into my eyeball and sucking the blood out, replacing it with a gas bubble. It was quite something to go completely blind and then regain my sight. The surgeon himself said to some doctors at a hospital event I later attended as a patient: ‘If Christopher had lived before the 1970s [when this sight-saving surgical technique was created], he would have lived in a world of darkness.’
Meanwhile, my left eye has faced similar bleeding challenges, such as what happened recently. I don’t know the eventual outcome, but the same major surgery is a reality I may face one day. But perhaps not. My children have laid hands on me and prayed. I believe children carry a special anointing in God. We trust Jesus and carry on.
It can be hard to ‘carry on’ and keep calm though when you can’t see properly. Trying to smile and have normal conversations when you’re panicking inside. That’s why carving out time to spend in God’s presence is SO important. Finding calm in prayer with the Holy Spirit is essential to dig deep and receive the strength needed to overcome trials. Receiving prayer from loved ones is important in that.
That’s why Elijah ran away and hid in the cave. It wasn’t so much the situation that scared him - he just really, really wanted to know God was with him. And the Lord showed he was with Elijah not in the powerful wind or earthquake but in the gentle whisper. If you face a challenge today (I’ve written this devotional with one eye closed because of the blood in it!), prioritize spending time with Jesus and simply listen through the storm and the earthquake for the powerful tones of his gentle whisper. Nothing is impossible with God, and he loves you.
Let us pray:
Lord.
You are love defined, and you are my strength. I am glad that when the situation seems impossible, you are in charge of the tempest. I can trust in the uplifting of your presence, in the counseling of your Holy Spirit. I confess today that I am struggling with anxiety about what is happening to me. And I find it hard to share with others. But you understand, Lord. You sweat blood in the Garden of Gethsemane. I am not alone - I am with you, and you are with me. I can do all things through my God, who gives me strength. I am calm in your presence. I am free to see light on the horizon because you are the light of my world. Dearest Father of the heavenly lights: I commit it all to you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Image credit: AI-Generated Image / DALL.E 2024
Christopher Eyte lives with his wife Céline and three children in Swansea, Wales, UK. He has worked as a journalist for many years and writes his own blog (hislovefrees.life) encouraging others in their walk with Jesus. He became a Christian in February 2002, after a friend explained God's amazing grace!
Editor's Note: We're proud to announce we've just launched a new nighttime companion to Your Daily Prayer: the Your Nightly Prayer devotional. You'll soon be able to subscribe to receive Your Nightly Prayer via email, or as a podcast, but for now you can find it on the website at crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-nightly-prayer. We hope it's a relaxing and soothing way to wind down your day with rich meditations on who God is.
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