The Roaring of the Ocean

It was the longest ocean wave I had ever seen on the Pacific Ocean coastline. One continuous mass of white foam, without a break. I had come to this beach to still my thoughts, but my mind kept racing with the complexities of life: what to do, where to go, and what decisions would be the wisest ones to make. I tried to read to take my mind off myself, but that did not help. I tried to sketch, but the wonders around me kept distracting and averting my eyes. The ocean was making itself known that day; it wanted to be heard.

In all my days there under those massive palms, I had never heard such roaring. Finally, I decided to lay all my books down, sit up, and have a look.

The massive wave stretched out for miles along the coast.

One followed another. Each new wave swelling up from the pier produced a roar that did not let up. The sound seemed to be loud even inside my head.

I wondered, How can I think through all of this? The roaring continued steadily for fifteen minutes. Then silence. A wonderful stillness and “deafening” silence but for only a minute. A new wave brought more roaring for the next fifteen minutes, followed by another brief silence. This sound pattern continued for the next hour. When those still, silent moments descended on me for an instant between the thundering of the next waves, I found myself thinking, Oh, what peace! And I might not even have noticed it were it not for the roar that preceded it. That is when it hit me: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled. . . . . . . God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved. . . . . . . Be still, and know that I am God. . . . The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge (Psalm 46:1–3, 5, 10, 11, KJV). This is what I needed to focus on. It did not matter that my life events were roaring around me; God was still here with me. Whatever the situation, God can make a place of peace within me. I rejoiced that I would be all right. God knows about all the noise in our lives as well as the roaring interruptions. He silences them long enough for us to find Him.

Victoria M. Shewbrooks