CALMNESS IN CHAOS AND STORMS
NOVEMBER 3, 2025
TEXT: “And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.” (Acts 12:6)
It is often said that life is not a bed of roses. No matter how pleasant we think life should be or treat us, there will surely be tempests and challenges. Some of these problems may even seem to undermine our Christian faith and make us question the very existence of our God. However, in the midst of every storm, crisis, and battle, God is surely there.
A full reading of our given text reveals the opposition that the early church was facing in the hands of Herod Agrippa I. He had successfully terminated the life of James, the brother of John. Seeing that the Jews were pleased, he stretched forth his hands to also persecute Apostle Peter. Peter was arrested and imprisoned. However, something remarkable happened — the Bible recorded that Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with chains and fetters. To make matters worse, the king had scheduled to present him before the people the next day, followed by a likely execution. Yet this man had the “effrontery” to sleep!
This was not an ordinary or carnal sleep. It was a sleep of victory, assurance, and belief — a kind of sleep that only comes from absolute conviction about the promises of God.
Peter had no tangible means of escape. He knew the die was cast. He knew the king had the power to order his instant execution. However, he had this inner peace and conviction that Herod would fail in his mission.
Faith is not a denial that something is wrong somewhere; it is a firm assurance that all is under control. That was what Peter demonstrated in this instance. You ordinarily wouldn’t expect a man to be in that condition and remain cool, calm, and collected to the point of sleeping. You would expect him to be anxious, fidgety, and full of panic. Yet Peter was so relaxed and at peace. At the end of the day, he had even laid the foundation for the miraculous escape which God facilitated through the angel at midnight.
This is a call to us to start learning how to trust God with our problems. In this new month of November, you need to let go of unnecessary anxiety and agitation — especially when you realize that you have no control whatsoever over such situations. Place your burdens on God. Let Him handle your problems for you. Regardless of the storm you are passing through, there is a loving Father whose bosom is never too filled to accommodate your needs and petitions. This does not mean you shouldn’t pray or plan your life diligently. It is simply a call to stop trusting in your own strength and to trust God to take you through any storm whatsoever.
SEARCHLIGHT:
Just like Daniel in the lions’ den and the Hebrew men in the furnace, Peter demonstrated remarkable peace in his storm — and God was there to uplift him. God does not sleep nor slumber (Psalm 121:4); He is there, even when you don’t feel His presence.
PRAYER:
My Father, may I not be overwhelmed by my stormy situation, in the name of Jesus.
BIBLE READING:
Hosea 10–12, John 2
PASTOR MICHAEL OMOLE
