Our calm in the storm.

Two young men found themselves in a fierce battle during the days of the Vietnam war. Bullets whistled overhead, and bombs shattered the earth. This didn't seem to raze one of the soldiers. When his buddy asked how he could be so calm, he replied with a grin, "It just reminds me of home."

Do you sometimes feel a little battle weary? Is your life an endless repetition of waking up, running out the door, sitting in traffic, meeting deadlines, rushing through dinner, dropping into bed, waking up, running out the door-and on and on? Welcome to the real world.

Maybe that's the problem. We do live in the real world, not a sitcom in which problems find solutions in 30 minutes or less.

For now, let's turn our thoughts away from fantasy and explore some real ways of dealing with the pressures we all face. Consider this situation: A small fishing boat bobs in the middle of a large lake. Suddenly a fierce storm sweeps in. Terrified, the boat's occupants begin bailing water as fast as they can. All, that is, except one. He's fired and has fallen asleep with his head on a coil of rope. "What's the matter with you?" the others shout, shaking their sleeping companion. "Don't you even care if we go down with the boat?"

When the sleeping passenger awakes, he sees the waves, the wind, and the lightning. He notices the fear-twisted faces of his friends and hears their terrified cries. Who can sleep so peacefully in the middle of a storm? None other than Jesus, our Great Physician. What He prescribes at that moment can help us face any tempest. Lifting His arms into the winds He whispers, "Peace. Be still." As quickly as it came, the storm passes.

Believe it or not, the most powerful antidote for stress is peace and rest. Our Great Physician invites us, in Matthew 11:28 and 29, to "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

When we put ourselves first and climb over others to get ahead, our stress level rises, blood pressure climbs, and temper flares. To be humble in heart means we put others first. This attitude of humility and gentleness toward people comes with the realization that God is with us in the storm. He's in control. He will have the last say.

Fear is another great stressor. Even though we live in a dangerous world, our Great Physician offers a very effective prescription for this common malady. In John 14:27 He says, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." Cultivating a trust in God is an effective antidote for the stress of fear.

Another great generator of stress is unresolved guilt. The judicial system is well aware of the physical symptoms of the guilty and accepts as valid the results of the lie detector. Who hasn't experienced sweaty palms, a nervoustic, and a churning stomach when we know we've done something wrong? Why go through another miserable day under a cloud of guilt when the prescription waits in 1 John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

Three stressors: selfishness, fear, and guilt. Three prescriptions: humility, trust, and forgiveness. Does this mean that all our problems will be solved in 30 minutes or less? Of course not!

I'm reminded of the story of two painters. Each created a masterpiece to illustrate his concept of peace. The first chose a quiet, solitary lake nestled among towering mountains. The second drew a thundering waterfall with a fragile birch tree bending over the churning foam. At a fork in a branch, almost within reach of the watery spray, sat a little bird on her nest. The first painting might represent the peace for which we all long. But only the second painting can truly be entitled "Peace," for peace is best illustrated by contrasting the opposing elements of tranquillity and energy, silence and turbulence. Peace is not the absence of trouble. It's the acceptance of trouble and the allowing of God to be a part of the solution.

We live real lives in a real world. But into every storm steps our Great Physician offering real solutions to our stresses. "Come unto Me," He pleads, arms outstretched, "learn of Me, and I will give you rest."

Author and church administrator Richard O'Ffill writes from Longwood, Florida.