Mental health counselor reflects on 'storms of life'

This is one in a series of articles about “encouragement,” written by Episcopal Counseling Center counselors.

The title of the sermon could have been “The Storms of Life.” Many years have passed since those days of idealism when I did not fully realize that indeed life was full of storms.

That is the reason why I recall the message. I found it disturbing, to say the least. In his introduction, the preacher said, “There are three types of people here today. Some of you are in a storm, others are going out of a storm and the third group is getting ready to go into a storm. Which group are you in?”

“A storm” is a rather good metaphor for the troublesome events in life. I thought of it recently at the end of a work day after back to back sessions with clients in different places. One was going out of the storm while the other, a new client, had just entered the storm.

They had two things in common, their gender and their vocations, both in ordained ministry. People come to see us when they are in a storm and our work as therapists is to help them negotiate their way through.

Imagine being in the boat with the disciples on the Sea of Galilee. When they began the journey all was well; but then suddenly everything changed the boat was being tossed about. The NIV says, “... the waves swept over the boat.” The disciples feared for their lives.

At first they must have tried to handle the boat on their own but when that failed someone must have noticed that their Master (Jesus) was missing.

One of them might have asked, “Where is He?” More than one went looking for Him only to find Him sleeping. They “woke Him” and asked what we often ask, “Don’t you care that I’m dying?” “I’m losing my mind! I can’t think! I can’t make a decision! There’s too much going on! The boat is sinking!”

Jesus got up and spoke to the wind and the waves and said, “Be still! Be quiet! Calm down!” And everything became peaceful again. Jesus is able to calm the storms in troubled lives today! Sometimes He does it through the voice of a counselor!

Blessings,
Ruan C. Humphrey