Peace When You Are Shaken Up

Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! Acts 16:26

Earthquakes. Who needs ‘em? Not me! I’ve experienced a couple of them and I can’t think of anything more unsettling to the stability of terra firma then when the ground beneath you begins to shake and crumble. But for the apostle Paul, an earthquake proved quite fortuitous. He escaped prison!

Earthquakes happen with the shifting of plate tectonics. These are called the Major Plates of the Lithosphere. Six of the seven major tectonic plates are named after the continents above them. The lone exception is the Pacific plate, which lies beneath the ocean. This is the only major tectonic plate that is mainly underwater and it covers more than 62 million square miles! According to the National Earthquake Information Center, magnitude 2 and smaller earthquakes occur several hundred times a day world wide. They claim between 12,000–14,000 earthquakes occur each year. There’s a whole lotta shakin’ going on!

All of us have experienced something else very unsettling. Lifequakes. I know there is no such word as this. However, author Leah Weber Heling wrote a book using that as the title. Readers were asked, “Are you tired of worrying, being fearful, lonely, depressed, or discouraged? Do you suffer from anxiety due to difficult people or distressing circumstances? Have you lost your job, your health, or a loved one?” All of us are in that “lifequake” stage at one time or another. To survive in these kind of quakes, we must build upon a solid faith foundation. Our enemy is always fear.

Jesus spoke about having a firm foundation as recorded in Matthew 7:24-27. His challenge to His followers was to build their lives around His words and they would provide solid footing for life. How can we find this encouragement daily? It happens in faithful Bible reading. Make sure you spend ample time in the four Gospels. Enjoy the peace of having a firm foundation.

Prayer
Lord God, help me find the peace of the Rock by putting my trust in You. I’m blessed to know You are my safe place. Amen