Calm in the Midst of Terror

Pastors Blake and Andrew Cromwell

Calm in the Midst of Terror
by Pastors Blake and Andrew Cromwell

Do not be afraid of sudden terror, nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; For the Lord will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being caught. — Prov. 3:25-26 NKJV

Terror and tragedy seem to surround us. Since September 11th our nation has been forced to come to grips with a new kind of terror and a new kind of war has been born. And while physical war brews in Afghanistan, there is another war here on our homefront, it is a war for the mind. The battle now rages between fear that immobilizes us and courage that urges us forward. How is it possible to stand strong in the face of such great terror and not be moved by it? The answer lies in our ability to find the calm in the midst of the storm. Like the eye of a hurricane, our life can remain peaceful and undisturbed if we can find our center in Christ.

Terror: The Facts
One of the first things we must understand about terror is that we cannot hope to escape it. It is a part of life. Terror visits us in many ways and in many forms — a plane, a bomb, a car, a letter an accident, a misspoken word, a relationship gone awry. As a community we tell ourselves that we are safe from terrorist activity because we are small and have relatively few high profile targets. In the same way, as individuals we believe that death, divorce, cancer, financial disaster, and a whole host of other “terrorist activities” will not happen to us because we are “good people.” But terror does not play favorites, and we should not expect it to.

In the same way, we need to realize that we cannot predict the appearance of terror and tragedy in our lives. Thousands of people went to work at the World Trade Center on September 11th and expected that day to be no different from any other. But it was. Over 250 people boarded Flight 587 last week and expected to be in the Dominican Republic in just a few hours. They never saw it coming. You may not expect terror to happen in your life today, but it might.

The point is this. Terror will come no matter who we are, where we are, or what we are. It will come quickly and it will come in a way we could never have anticipated. If we know this, then we won’t have to be surprised when it shows up on our doorstep. But knowing this is not a solution, it’s just preparation. We must also have a strategy we can use when terror comes knocking.

Terror: The Response
So what do we do when terror is upon us? There are three practical steps we can take to find God’s help in the midst of darkness. First, we must choose to focus on God’s nearness. God is as close as your shadow whether it’s day or night, but when terror comes into our lives we quickly become distracted. We forget how close God is and we begin to focus on the fear, anxiety, and distress that come in times of attack. The only way to find calm in the storm is to change our focus from the problem to the solution. When we look to God, the terror around us shrinks as we gain a new perspective.

Second, we must fasten to the love of God. God’s love for us is greater then every circumstance and problem. According to the Bible, God loves us with an everlasting love. He desires our success and not our destruction, peace and not terror. This second step reminds us who God is and how much he cares for us. When we begin to understand His nature, we are then able to relinquish our fear and anxiety to Him.

Third, we must fight with God’s powerful weapons. When we truly place ourselves in God’s hands we find that He fights for us. Psalms 91:1-5 can say it better then I,

“Whoever goes to the Lord for safety, whoever remains under the protection of the Almighty, can say to him, "You are my defender and protector. You are my God; in you I trust." He will keep you safe from all hidden dangers and from all deadly diseases. He will cover you with his wings; you will be safe in his care; his faithfulness will protect and defend you. You need not fear any dangers at night or sudden attacks during the day.”

The pastors of Kings County would love to see you and your family in church this Sunday and there you can find out more keys to finding Victory over Terror.