Sacred Pauses: Trusting God in Life’s Interruptions

In the middle of life’s chaos, whether it’s parenting challenges, unexpected storms, or emotional setbacks, God invites us to take sacred pauses. This article reflects on a personal moment of stillness during a time of crisis and explores how Jesus modeled trust and rest, even in the fiercest storms. Discover how choosing stillness can become an act of faith in life’s most overwhelming interruptions.

 

On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the seas, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”
(Mark 4:35–41 NKJV)

The Power of a Sacred Pause

I wanted to fix it and come to the rescue to solve my son’s problem. I wanted to give my opinion, which I thought might calm the storm he was facing. But instead, I sat beside him, choosing silence. As tears streamed down his face, I chose stillness too.

And for those who know me, remaining silent and still aren’t two things I do well. I’d consider myself a fixer in certain situations, especially when it comes to my children. But in that moment, I pressed pause, not out of helplessness, but out of trust. I held back my natural reaction to act, to speak. Instead, I prayed. I trusted God to take control in the chaos, to comfort in the pain, and to be present when I didn’t have the right word.

That moment taught me something: sometimes the most loving thing we can do is to be still. To step back. To let God work. That kind of stillness isn’t passive; it’s a sacred pause. A declaration of trust.

Biblical Lessons on Trusting God in Life’s Storms

There are many stories about trusting God in hard times sprinkled throughout the Bible, in both the Old and New Testaments:

• Moses and the Israelites’ escape from Egypt,
• Daniel in the lion’s den,
• Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace,
• The resurrection of Lazarus, and
• Numerous accounts of Jesus healing the sick.

However, the one example that stands out from all the rest is when Jesus calmed the storm and allayed the disciples’ fears while in a boat on the Sea of Galilee. The story is recounted in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

After a long day of teaching, Jesus and His disciples set out across the sea toward Capernaum. When they were several miles out from shore, a severe storm came upon them. As the waves crashed around the boat, the disciples grew more afraid with every passing second. They turned to Jesus, who was asleep on a pillow in the stern of the boat.

The contrast is stunning. The disciples were panicking while Jesus was resting. It wasn’t just a nap, but a sacred pause. A demonstration of peace rooted in trust. Jesus wasn’t worried because He knew the storm was no match for Him and His authority.

Rest isn’t the absence of trouble. It’s the presence of trust. Jesus invites us to find calm not because the chaos disappears, but because we know who’s in the boat with us.

Interruptions Are Inevitable

As I’ve learned over the years, and as I’ve had to remind my sons, life isn’t always easy. It’s filled with heartbreaks and failures, and it’s teeming with interruptions. Jesus never promised us an interruption-free life. He had to deal with them just like we do. In fact, His ministry was filled with interruptions: crowds clamoring for His attention, disrupted plans, and the Pharisees and Sadducees trying to discredit His teachings and His claim that He was the Son of God.

However, Jesus didn’t let these minor setbacks trouble Him. He treated these inconveniences as invitations to rest.

The disciples likely assumed that with Jesus aboard, the journey would be smooth. Isn’t that often our assumption, too? That if we follow Jesus, the waters of life will be calm? But storms will inevitably come. And when they do arrive, we can rest our faith in God and trust that He will carry us through. Faith doesn’t prevent storms; it anchors us through them.

Sacred Pauses in the Storm

Just as Jesus told the disciples not to worry, He invites us into rest—not just physical rest, but soul rest. The kind of rest that steadies our hearts in the chaos. It’s an act of true surrender that involves active engagement and trust, and not just simply giving up or doing nothing.

Sacred pauses are intentional moments of stillness and reflection often used to reconnect with oneself (something that I admittedly struggle with). They can be different for everyone:

• Praying before responding.
• Taking a walk to clear your mind.
• Worshipping instead of worrying.
• Sleeping peacefully.

Jesus didn’t wait for the storm to end before resting. He rested in the middle of the storm. And that’s His invitation: to pause in the storm, not just after it. Because rest rooted in trust is more powerful than frantic activity.

Faith Over Fear

When the disciples finally woke Jesus, their cry revealed more than fear. They shouted, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” (Mark 4:38). Unfortunately, at the zenith of our pain or failure, that question is often our main fear: “Does God care?”

Jesus got up and demanded the storm to “Be still!” The storm and rough seas obeyed. He then turned to the disciples and asked, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”

He wasn’t mad, but it was a call to deeper trust.

Faith doesn’t mean we’re never afraid. It means we don’t give fear the final word. Sacred pauses allow us to re-center, to remember who’s with us, and to let our faith speak louder than the storm.

While the storm may be intense, it’s not permanent. Although the interruptions may feel like detours, they’re often where our faith and relationships with God grow the most.

Embracing Sacred Pauses

Rest is holy. Stillness is sacred. When we pause in the storm, we allow God to move in our lives, and we learn to breathe, listen, and trust again. So, the next time life interrupts your plans, just remember that Jesus is still in the boat with you. He still commands the winds and the waves. And even when He’s silent, He’s never absent.

Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” In life’s interruptions, that stillness isn’t weakness, it’s worship. When we pause, trust, and rest in His presence, we’re reminded that He is in control of every storm, and He will carry us safely to the other side.

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