Sleeping While the Wind Blows

Psalm 4:8
I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for Thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.

As a Christian counselor, I talk with people nearly every day who are experiencing fierce storms in their lives. Grief, divorce, addictions, hurtful relationships, academic failure, financial distress . . . the list could go on and on. All of us face those storms at some time or another. The following story is one I have read over and over again because it reminds me where true peace is found when the winds of trouble blow.

“Years ago, a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops.

“As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals. Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. ‘Are you a good farm hand?’ the farmer asked him.’Well, I can sleep when the wind blows,’ answered the little man.”

Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him. The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work.

“Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand's sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, ‘Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!’

“The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, ‘No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows.’

”Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm. To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down. Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew.”

Like the hired hand in the story, when you prepare yourself well before the storms of life arrive, you can face them with confidence knowing that ultimately you have nothing to fear. Anchor yourself in the Word of God. Cover yourself with the assurance of His promises to meet your every need. Take shelter in knowing that His Word is more powerful than a two-edged sword, and find light for the hours of darkness.

Sleep well, my friend. Rest in the Word of the Lord.

Father, thank You that as I study and learn from Your Word, it prepares me for the storms I face in life. Grant me Your peace in the midst of every storm as a testimony of Your sufficiency.

By Ann Shorb
©Copyright Ann Shorb, 2006

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Related Articles and Devotionals:
God Never Sleeps
Under His Wings
To God be the Glory
God's Protection

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Anxious for Nothing: God's Cure for the Cares of Your Soul By John MacArthur / Cook Communications So many things to worry about and so little time to worry! As a Christian, you're not immune to the troubles of life, and when troubles come, you're urged to rise above them and experience "peace that passes understanding." But how, in day-to-day life, does that really happen? In Anxious for Nothing, John MacArthur directs you to the only true source of comfort and victory - Scripture. Complete with a Reader's Guide for personal reflection or group discussion, you'll learn to cast your cares on God, deal with difficult people, live without complaining, and be content. Previously published as Anxiety Attacked.