Calm in the Choppy Waters

“The LORD your God is in your midst—a warrior bringing victory. He will create calm with his love; he will rejoice over you with singing.” — Zephaniah 3:17 (CEB)

Several years ago, we discovered the joy of taking boat rides across Boston Harbor. Whether it’s a narrated tour or the simple ferry from Hingham to the North End, there’s something thrilling about seeing the city from the water—familiar streets suddenly appearing new from that wider horizon.

It’s especially breathtaking at sunset, as the sun sinks behind the skyscrapers and the lights begin to shimmer. The skyline seems to rise out of the deep, glowing against the darkening shore.

But I also learned something else out there. When the waters turn choppy, the whole experience changes. The beauty remains, but the joy is overshadowed by the slow, unwelcome roll of nausea. What felt steady and exhilarating a moment ago can quickly become unsettling.

Life has a way of doing that to us. Some days are as calm as a harbor at dusk—steady, beautiful, full of promise. Other days feel more like those choppy waters, when something deep inside us loses its balance, and the joy we expected is suddenly overshadowed by unease. The shift can happen quickly—all it takes is for the wind to rise. One moment we’re taking in the view; the next we’re gripping the rail, hoping for steadiness.

It’s into that very human experience that Zephaniah speaks a word of astonishing comfort: “The LORD your God is in your midst—a warrior bringing victory. He will create calm with his love; he will rejoice over you with singing.”

God doesn’t wait for the waters to settle before drawing near. God steps into the turbulence with us—strong enough to bring victory, tender enough to quiet our anxious hearts.

When life rocks us off center, when joy gives way to nausea, when the horizon blurs, this verse reminds us that God’s presence is not dependent on the conditions. He is already in our midst, steadying us with love that does not rise and fall with the waves.

So, when the waters of your day feel unsteady, take a breath and remember you are not navigating them alone.

God is not pacing the shoreline, waiting for you to regain your footing. God is right there in the boat with you—calming, strengthening, rejoicing over you with a love that steadies the soul. It’s the same presence the disciples discovered that night on the Sea of Galilee, when the wind howled, the waves rose, and fear tightened its grip. Jesus didn’t shout instructions from the safety of the shore. He was in the boat with them, speaking the words every anxious heart longs to hear: “Peace. Be still.”

The same God who commands the seas also sings over us with delight. That’s a beautiful thought, isn’t it? The One whose voice can still a storm with a single word is also the One who leans close enough to quiet our spirits with a song. Power and tenderness held together in the same breath. Strength that doesn’t overwhelm but restores. Love that doesn’t shout from a distance but surrounds us from within.

Let that truth be your anchor. Let it quiet the swirl within you. Let it remind you that even in the choppiest moments, you are held by a God who delights in you.

Holy God, when the waters rise, and our balance falters, draw us into the calm of your love. Quiet our anxious hearts, steady our steps, and help us trust that you are in our midst—strong to save, gentle to comfort, rejoicing over us with songs of grace. Amen.

Grace & Peace,

Pastor Tim