Dr. Mary C. McDonald
There was a small plaque hanging on the wall of the hospital chapel where I had gone to pray. It read, “Sometimes God calms the storm, and sometimes He lets the storm rage, and calms His child.” When I read it, I glanced around the room at the others who had come to seek a haven from the private storms that raged in their lives. They came to think things over in the presence of God. There, in the stillness of time, God’s voice seemed to whisper to my heart saying, “Know that I love you, and have not forgotten you, or just left you where you are. I am with you, even if you do not understand how. It is My presence that gives you hope. Let your life reflect My love for you to anyone who might be watching.” There it was again, that spiritual suggestion to do more than just trust God. The advice was to respond to the events in life in a way that will encourage others to also trust God in the events of their lives, regardless of the circumstances or outcomes. It’s not about you; it’s about you and others. It’s about being a good example.
I remember when I was in elementary school telling my uncle, Francis, about the mean-spirited activities of a Junior High clique that was jockeying for a position of power. I questioned why God would even allow their very existence. My Uncle, with an understanding smile, wisely responded, “Everyone has a purpose, Mary, even if it only to serve as a bad example. Your choice is to respond to that situation in a way that makes your purpose to be a good example to anyone who might be watching.” It was not the easiest advice I ever got, especially when I could think of a few other ways to fix the situation, but it was the best. I knew he was right. When looking at your circumstances with an eternal perspective, it changes your view, your response, and your purpose. You see that it is God’s plan you should follow, not your plan. Your response is to trust God’s will for you without fear, so that what He knows is best for you will be accomplished. Your purpose is to witness His presence to others.
I have known many beacons of good example whose response to their circumstances reflect the light of Christ in their lives. Philip is a good example. He is a Junior at Memphis Catholic High School. Philip was born in the streets of India, and into a life of abject poverty. When he was five years old both his mother and father died of AIDS. He spent the next several years in an orphanage in India until he was adopted by a family from Memphis who sent him to Memphis Catholic. I sat next to Philip at a reception where he and his teammates from Memphis Catholic were being honored by the Jefferson Award, a national award given for service to others. “I asked myself why me,” Philip said. “Why was I so blessed?” “I believe God blessed me so that I could be of service to others, to help those less fortunate.” Philip doesn’t live regretting the past. He lives in the present by giving service to others, to help make the future better for everyone. God’s love is reflected in Philip’s life, and in his response to his circumstances. God had calmed the storm in his life, and now Philip is helping to calm the storms in the lives of others. Not only is he a good example, he is inspirational.
My friend, Patrice, is a good example of the light of Christ reflected in her life. Last month Patrice suffered a tragic fire that took the lives of her parents-in-law, destroyed her home, and all her possessions. Three days later, her father died. There seemed to be no way to comprehend the tragedies. A few days ago Patrice sat at my dining room table. I listened as she told me about all of God’s many blessings that she has experienced through this tragedy. Her example of God’s grace and presence in the midst of this storm was inspirational. God had calmed His child while the storm continues to rage.
A person’s circumstances do not dictate the quality of life. Everything that you struggle with, or endure, God controls. What others may mean for evil, God means for good. He can bring the good out of any situation, if you let Him. The only thing holding you back from that kind of trust is your own unwillingness to let go. When you try to maintain control over your life, your anxiety masterminds your responses. Sometimes God calms the storm; sometimes He lets the storm rage and calms His child. That’s God’s choice, His plan. Your choice is how to respond to the storms in your life in a way that will glorify God. Then, His love and peace will be reflected through you, so that you also will be a model of clarity, a good example, who will witness to God’s goodness to anyone who might be watching.
