Peace in the Middle of the Storm
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we won’t be afraid, though the earth changes, though the mountains are shaken into the heart of the seas;
though its waters roar and are troubled, though the mountains tremble with their swelling.” (Psalm 46:1–3, WEB)
Life has a way of throwing storms at us when we least expect them. Some storms come quietly, like a drizzle that turns into a downpour—slow, relentless, wearing us down. Others hit with no warning at all, like a hurricane crashing into the shore. In both, the ground beneath us feels shaky, our control slips away, and fear whispers louder than faith.
When I read Psalm 46, I can almost hear the roar of wind and water in the psalmist’s imagery: the earth changing, mountains shaking, waters roaring and troubled. It feels familiar—because life itself often feels like that. Chaos all around, nothing steady to stand on.
And yet, right there in the middle of the description of upheaval, comes this promise: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Not “He will be” someday. Not “He might be” if the storm isn’t too bad. But He is. Right now. Right here.
When Fear Rises
I know what it’s like to sit in the middle of a storm and feel the fear rising like floodwaters. For me, anxiety can feel like a hurricane all its own—relentless winds of “what if” and “what next.” Sometimes the storm is outside—a crisis, a loss, a sudden change. Other times, it’s inside—the mind spinning, the heart racing, the sense that nothing is safe.
Psalm 46 doesn’t promise that storms won’t come. It doesn’t say the mountains will stay in place or the waters will stay calm. Instead, it acknowledges the reality of disaster—and then declares that even then, we don’t have to be afraid.
Why? Because God Himself is our refuge. Not circumstances. Not our ability to hold everything together. Not even our own faith being perfect. He is the steady place when everything else is shaking.
Refuge and Strength
A refuge is a shelter, a safe place to run when danger is near. For the psalmist, that image would have been a fortress—thick stone walls, unshakable even when enemies attacked.
That’s who God is for us. The safe place we can always run to.
But He’s more than just a shelter; He’s also our strength. Sometimes the storm doesn’t pass quickly, and we still have to walk through it. God doesn’t just hide us—He also equips us, giving us the strength to endure what we cannot on our own.
It’s easy to think peace means the absence of storms. But in Scripture, peace is much deeper than that. It’s the calm assurance that God is with us, even when the waters rise. It’s strength and stillness in the middle of chaos.
A Personal Storm
I remember a time when a literal storm was headed toward my home. The weather reports grew more urgent by the hour, showing the hurricane’s path pointed directly at us. I prayed desperately, bargaining with God, asking Him to shift the winds. The fear was suffocating.
What struck me later wasn’t whether the storm veered away or not, but the reminder that God was with me in the waiting. That He hadn’t abandoned me to face it alone. Even when I was panicking, He remained steady.
That’s the peace Psalm 46 describes—a peace not dependent on whether the storm hits or misses, but on knowing that God is present regardless.
Learning to Be Still
Later in this same psalm (verse 10), we hear the familiar words: “Be still, and know that I am God.”
Stillness doesn’t come naturally in a storm. Everything in us wants to scramble, fix, plan, or control. Yet the invitation is to pause, breathe, and remember who God is.
Being still doesn’t mean doing nothing—it means choosing trust over panic, even when fear presses in. It’s whispering a prayer in the middle of chaos: “God, You are my refuge. Be my strength right now.”
How We Can Practice This Peace
Here are a few gentle ways we can anchor ourselves in the truth of Psalm 46 when life feels overwhelming:
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Pray honestly. God isn’t asking us to pretend we aren’t afraid. He wants us to bring the fear to Him, raw and unfiltered.
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Repeat His Word. Sometimes we need to speak Scripture over ourselves, letting it become louder than the storm. Saying, “God is my refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” can settle the heart.
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Breathe and pause. Take moments to physically still yourself—inhale, exhale, and remember His presence.
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Look back at His faithfulness. Remember storms He’s already carried you through. That same God is with you now.
Prayer
Lord, You see the storms around me and the ones inside me. You know the fear that rises when life feels out of control. Thank You that You are my refuge and my strength, a very present help in trouble. Teach me to be still and to trust You, even when the waters roar and the mountains shake. Give me peace that isn’t shaken by circumstances, but rooted in Your unchanging presence. Amen.
