In the book of Job in the Bible, after Job is hit with harsh trials, he is initially calm. His early/first response is,

“The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21)

Even when his wife tells him to curse God and die, he refuses. His answer to her is:

“Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” (Job 2:10)

There comes a point however, when Job’s thoughts go thermonuclear. I think that this begins when Job’s friends pay him a visit and one of them, Bildad the Shuhite, suggests that Job’s children died on account of their sin.

“If your children have sinned against him, he gave them over to the penalty of their sin.” ~ Job 8:4 (NIV)

At this point, a fuse has been lit, and Job shifts in his tone, demeanor and words. He becomes more and more heated, defensive, confrontational until his thoughts go full-blown thermonuclear – from earth to heaven, as he launches accusations at God, Himself.

Hence, later when Elihu shows up on the scene, he points out that Job:

“. . . To his sin he adds rebellion; scornfully he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God . . .

So, Job opens his mouth with empty talk; without knowledge he multiplies words.” ~ Job 34:37 & Job 35:16

I have been there – Like Job, my mouth also has gone rogue with renegade thoughts and runaway words.

In tense situations, I have prided myself on my calm, my saintly poise, my biblical composure thinking that all was well . . . I was swell . . . until … suddenly something set me off, and my renegade thoughts multiplied and went thermo on me and others.

The Point: Don’t believe the calm, unless its a calm that connects to God somehow – perhaps a verse produced it or a prayer brought it about, and so on.