While praying last week, I felt in my heart these strange words “We will start seeing calamities, not crisis.”
“Calamity” isn’t in my common vocabulary, so it captured my attention. I researched the meaning from a Biblical dictionary and also a modern dictionary. Then I looked for Bible verses with this keyword.
Unpacking Keywords
What’s the difference between a calamity and a crisis?
Translated in Greek, it means “extreme affliction.”
Translated in Hebrew, it means:
distress, burden, calamity
burden (of the righteous)
calamity (of nation)
disaster (of wicked)
day of calamity
Let’s unpack this! The word “crisis” isn’t in traditional language Bible Verses. So I moved to a modern translation to find this: If you fall to pieces in a crisis, there wasn’t much to you in the first place. (Proverbs 24:10 Message Version)
We will start seeing calamities, not crisis.Fill your cup with faith to be strong in calamity.
Today, my life feels like I’m binge watching a crazy Netflix series about my family! Calamity after calamity has fallen over us in the last week and I’ve been praying fervently with many intercessors.
At one moment of weakness I felt guilt for these attacks, as if I had somehow caused them because of the work I’m doing in a revival movement. This is where prayer warriors are especially helpful… and they kept my eyes on Jesus… not on the calamities.
My Faith Tools for Calamities
God prepared my heart ahead of time. First, with the “calamities not crisis” message I heard in my heart because I was praying and in communication with the Father. Listening to that keyword and praying about it.
Next, I started seeing the calamities hit like a tumbleweed getting bigger and bigger with each blow. Not dangerous, just getting bigger and growing in size. So I started examining what was happening just prior to the blows. In each case, I was feeling revelation about a situation as if books had opened and I was seeing something previously hidden to me. To be clear, I was NOT having supernatural visions and NOT hearing voices.
For example, I was sitting in my car in the Target Store parking lot and felt the love of God while listening to a worship song. I got a bit weepy with the song and the revelation, then I went into the store. By the time I left the store, two security men were escorting me out (at my request) because I was being stalked and followed by a man.
There’s more, and since it involves family members I’m unable to share their stories here.
Immediately, I started processing in my heart and mind “calamities not crisis.”
During this time I wasn’t being a helicopter hypervigilant Mom. I simply soaked on the words…and left my worries to the hands of Jesus.
One more tool that helped immensely against those tumbleweeds: worship music! It changes the atmosphere of my heart (thank you Jesus). I created a playlist on both Spotify and Alexa, and called out with my voice: ALEXA, PLAY REVIVAL MUSIC!
“Run, Devil Run” by the David Crowder Band was immensely helpful as a tool!
“Break Every Chain: Live” by Tasha Cobbs Leonard is the song that caused the revelations to open in my heart.
I’ve been going through a few calamities of my own in the past three months. Drama not of my own making and some that I did participate in, in shame, having to turn my face from the Lord. But He in His infinite compassion kept pressing me and I prayed for the strength to set myself free. God answered that prayer in a very definitive way so that I would see His truth and share it. Truth is rarely well received but I can now move on without the guilt that has plagued me and a new freedom in the Lord. Thank you Jesus! BTW, there is a version of Break Every Chain with dancers recorded in a church that is very powerful. Love you. Lord bless and keep us all on His path with His goals and purposes as our lead.
I joined Bible Cafe because I am desperate to make a change in my life and a I need to connect with other Christian Women. I don’t have any sisters and my only child is my son. The female family members in my life are not Christians and so I find myself in a lonely place. I am living alone for the first time in 25 years and it has been a good thing which surprised me but it has been hard for me to connect with God and I have been this way for a very long time. My quiet times are usually me struggling to find my way and I wonder where is God and am I ever going to be at peace. I want to have love, joy, peace….but when I walk away from my quiet time I am more frustrated than when I started. I know in my head what I need to do but my heart is not in the right place. God seems a million miles away and when I hear others talking about their intimate relationship with Jesus, the guilt sets in. I have a very full life but my spiritual life is suffering.
You’re in the right place! We bring Bible fellowship wherever you live. Welcome Cindy!