Everyone references the old saying “the calm before the storm” in many of life’s most trying situations, but no one talks much about the calm “after” the storm. I have experienced such a sense of calm a few times in my life. The feeling is wonderful because a person realizes he or she has just endured the unthinkable and survived.
Even though the hardship seemed almost impossible to stand, the miracle is that of survival and reaching the other side of the difficulty. The sense of calm and peace sets in with the realization that even after all the chaos that broke loose, he or she was strong enough to triumph over the trial.
I was anticipating this calm after the storm that erupted during this recent election. I believed that regardless of the outcome, this nation would experience that sense of calm and even relief, and finally begin to unite with each other. Our country has just been through a war and placed at the front of a battlefield. We are now on the other side, and the battle has been won. Or has it?
I woke up last week to news feeds projecting the new president of our nation. In other presidential elections, after all the fighting and all the smear campaigns had ended, the winner/president was announced and there was peace between the two parties. Calm could settle over the country because its future was in place for at least the next four years. No matter which candidate won, the nation would be able to unite and accept the result of the election because the majority of citizens had chosen the next leader. I have yet to feel this sense of peace although the election is over. We are on the other side, but the unrest seems to be mounting rather than decreasing.
I have witnessed a great change not only in this country, but in this world. The leaders and the true rulers of this world are being determined in different ways, and the deception and lies involved are becoming harder to overcome. Truth is no longer clear or obvious, and we cannot rely on our worldly leaders to give us this truth. We must turn to our Creator, our real King, who has been with us since the very beginning of time, to find the truth and have faith that He will make sure His will is done.
I have been reciting a surrender novena which Fr. Dolindo Ruotolo received from Jesus. It is one of my favorite novenas because it does give me peace and provides me with the calm I was hoping for after this election. Today was day 4 and the first words of the prayer were,
“You see evil growing instead of weakening? Do not worry, close your eyes and say to Me with faith: Thy will be done, You take care of it. I say to you that I will take care of it.”
The novena ends with the prayer, “O Jesus, I surrender myself to You, take care of everything,” to be repeated 10 times.
I am boldly declaring I see evil growing in this world, but will not worry because my Father is “taking care of everything.” The world may not be the calm one in which I grew up, but nothing in this life is meant to remain the same. Change is the only constant. This world is changing, but God will never change. My devotion is still and will always be with Him.
God bless America!
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Originally published at Kitty in the City.
Photo: Erwann Letue, Unsplash / PD-US
2 thoughts on “The Calm After the Storm”
I TOO HAVE FELT THE SAME BUT NOT JUST FOR AMERICA, BUT FOR CANADA AS WELL. I CAME TO THE SAME CONCLUSION AS YOU HAVE AND TURNED IT OVER TO MY BELOVED WHO IS ALSO MY GOD, JESUS CHRIST, WHO CAN MAKE ALL THINGS RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THIS RELEVANT MESSAGE.
The novena you mention may just be the best novena ever! Particularly now, when our world and our country are dealing with an overwhelming amount of difficulty, and it’s hard to know who to trust. There is only One, of course, as you point out, that we can count on to give us the truth. Why not let Him take care of everything?! He is the best qualified to fill and fulfill the position of leader of all!