Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Calm (04/09/26)
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TITLE: Surpassing Calmness | Previous Challenge Entry
By Doug Laird
04/12/26 -
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Skeptics would apply human logic contending that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Sad to say, but such skepticism is alive and well in these latter days of the Church Age (1).
Many “Christians” have turned to alternative measures and means trying to avoid or to escape adversity, in order to maintain a calmness of mind.
There is no escaping adversity, and calmness of mind will not be the experience of spiritually immature believers, especially in the midst of spiritual combat.
A spiritually immature believer is one who has been born again, and therefore is Heaven bound, but lacks an edified soul structure (2) and or the willingness to apply it (3) to the events and circumstances of his or her daily life.
Satan promotes fear and insecurity, whereas Scripture tells us, “Be still, and know that I am the Lord…(Psalms 46: 10 KJV), “having cast all your anxiety on Him … (1Pet. 5: 7 NASB2020).”
Once edified, our response to Scripture is a choice we make, inevitably reaping the blessings or suffering the consequences of the response (or lack of it) we choose to make.
The faith-fear factor is like a see-saw in a playground. As faith rises, fear goes down, and as fear rises, faith goes down. One cannot be calm and confident and be anxious and doubting at the same time.
For an advancing disciple, adversity provides an opportunity to exercise what theologians call the Faith-Rest Drill.
The Faith-Rest Drill calls for applying the appropriate doctrine that one has (or should have) already circulating in his or her edified soul structure (4) to the storms and challenges of life, acknowledging that God is in charge, and trusting in Him no matter how things turn out.
Praying for His will to be done, and accepting it can be two very different things.
As with any other type of exercise, the more the Faith-Rest Drill is used, the more it becomes one’s way of life and automatic-response system of thought and action.
It took Peter great faith and confidence to be able to step out of the boat (5), but it took only a little fear to cause him to begin to sink and to be in need of rescue.
Peter’s calm assurance and confidence was quickly shattered by fear. The same thing can happen to us when we take the focus of our attention off the Lord, and begin to fear the threatening adversity confronting us.
What needs to be understood is that neither Psalms 46: 10 or 1Pet. 5: 7 provide the means to make the adversity go away, but rather the means for the advancing disciple to effectively deal with it, bringing glory to God in the process.
Fear is the normal, natural, human, first-response when confronted with events, news, or circumstances that we consider to be a threat to our well-being, or to the well-being of people or things with whom or what we have a personal attachment.
But an advancing disciple has learned that he or she is not here to do what comes naturally, but what is supernatural, with the enabling John 15: 5 power that God provides.
Failing to build and or to apply an edified soul structure is why so many who claim to be Christians are just as easily rattled and fall apart as anyone else when the storms or challenges of life strike.
Both believer and unbeliever will feel the same initial impact that “naturally” disturbing news or events can generate.
What distinguishes the advancing disciple is how quickly he or she can recover and respond doctrinally (being calm and having cast his or her natural anxiety on the Lord), rather than react emotionally.
Instead of crying out in fear, praying for deliverance, or the strength to endure, the advancing disciple has developed the Matt. 7:24-27 means, and the enabling John 15: 5 power to calmly and confidently deal with any challenge or adversity that comes his or her way, to the glory of God, and the inspiring Phil. 4: 7 amazement of observers.
(1) 1Tim. 4: 1 (2) Matt. 7: 24-27 (3) James 1: 22 (4) Matt. 7: 24-37 (5) Matt. 14: 29
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