When the Waters Are Not Still

It was nearly midnight. I was tired and ready to call it a day. Padding across the bedroom carpet barefoot and carrying a water bottle, my foot suddenly landed on a cold, wet spot in the carpet. I didn't think much about it. I must have spilled water.    
     But the next morning, the wet spot in the carpet was still there—squishy, soaking wet—and spreading.      
     I called out to my husband. "We have a problem!"  
     A leak detection company investigated. A faulty pipe inside the bathroom wall caused water to leak into the drywall, beneath floor tiles, and into the carpet. Water traveled to places it never belonged.     
     An unexpected event can turn a typical day into one of chaos. We may grumble and wonder why we can't just have a calm, peaceful day. But just as water can flow into the wrong places, sometimes we look to the wrong places for reprieve. Companies advertise wellness cures—for a cost.          
     To find what our soul yearns for, we don't have to search far. God's Word provides answers. The 23rd Psalm is a beautiful example of balm for the soul. Favorite verses from this Psalm paint serene images: be led to the "still waters" or green pastures. And the comforting reminder that Jesus is the tender Shepherd of the soul.   
     Unexpected life events can be upsetting or traumatic. No one likes change, or the feeling that life is out of control. Yet it is when we travel through the valleys that we often glean life lessons.   
     The "water intrusion" experience has been inconvenient, but hasn't been a major disaster, unlike some who have experienced extreme flooding of their homes or properties.  However, the experience has been a reminder for my husband and me to not take anything for granted—especially our household plumbing. It has also been a lesson in living with less "stuff," as much of our furniture, clothing, and other belongings are being stored in our garage. Fortunately, these changes will only be temporary.   
     For the times in my life and yours when the “waters are not still,” may we turn to the One who is our Help, our Saving Grace, our Consolation, our Salvation: Jesus Christ. In Him, we find true peace—and the “peace that passes all understanding.”
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"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:7
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Photo courtesy of vecteezy.com
 
 
 

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