“Now when [Jesus] got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.”
Matthew 8:23-26
Are you experiencing a storm or storms in your life? Are you weary from battling the storm? Are you fearful the storm will destroy you, your family, or your career? Do you wish there was someone…anyone that could calm your storm?
In this incredible biblical story the disciples literally feared for their lives when “suddenly a great tempest arose” and threatened their boat. That word, “tempest,” literally means, “a shaking, a commotion, or an earthquake.” And notice it hit “suddenly.” The disciples were caught off-guard, and reacted with swift panic, crying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” But what was a surprise to the disciples was no surprise to Jesus. Not only did He know the storm would hit before they ever stepped foot in the boat, but He also had the power to calm it.
You see, God uses storms in our lives to shake us. We like to be in control, but storms remind us that we are not in contro and challenges us to, no matter what happens, trust Him in the storm? He wants to stretch our faith, to get us outside our comfort zone, and to demonstrate His power in our lives. Sometimes we can see the storm coming, and sometimes we can’t. But we must always remember that Jesus is in control, not us. Storms do not surprise or intimidate Him. God’s love is a perfecting not a pampering love as many teach today.
Today, Jesus has the power to calm every storm in your life. In those moments when you feel overwhelmed by the waves crashing around you, and the winds blowing against you, trust Him to bring a great calm in and around you. The only way out of a trial is living through a trial.
As I’ve been thinking about trials we all face, it has occurred to me that God says it is not possible for any man to be at complete rest until he is aware that all things are happening according to a divine plan. It’s like looking at a tapestry from the thread side instead of looking at the picture. Looking at the picture makes sense, not the threads. It is like that with all of the tangled patterns of life for the one who has been called according to the divine plan. When we know this fact we can be at peace with the world around us because we are at peace within our own souls; and we are at peace within our own souls because we are at peace with our Heavenly Father. Then and only then can we count it joy and begin to learn the secret of contentment. When our world is falling apart, He keeps us grounded. He is the anchor that keeps us from drifting.
If you are not going through a storm today, guess what, one is coming. And if you are in the middle of a storm the question is the same for both situations: Do you trust Him…in the storm and with your life?
To learn more about trusting Jesus, I reccomend reading God’s word, the Bible first, but the following resource could also help you. Enjoy!
I remember having a lot of questions growing up, and I recall doing many things I should not have done and getting into allot of trouble because of the choices I made. As a teenager and young adult, I thought I knew it all; ends up I was wrong about that! Because I thought I knew it all, I rarely, if ever, went to my father for advice or counsel. As I got older, I realized that my dad was, in fact, a vault of wisdom, and that had I sought his guidance earlier in life, I could have avoided a lot of grief and pain. Some might say I was “stuck on stupid”.
So, if you desire to experience happiness in life and at work, I encourage you to seek counsel as you face key decisions in your life and at work. And, just as listening to the counsel of our fathers is important and helpful when we are growing up, so it is important to seek the counsel of our Heavenly Father, the one who created us, loves us immeasurably, and has a wonderful plan for our lives. Emmanuel, God with us, promises to never leave us nor forsake us, so you can count on him to be there for you; turn to him and trust him, especially when the going gets tough.
If this is new to you, and you desire “a peace that passes all understanding”, ask God to reveal himself to you and to help you know that he is real. Acknowledge to him that you hurt and are unhappy and that you know you have done some things that have contributed to your own unhappiness (sin). Invite him into your life and into your heart. Put your trust in Him and his son Jesus, who died on the cross so that you and I can personally know and have a real, intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father. He yearns to be involved in our lives. Ask him to change you and your life, to give you the peace and joy that you desire, and to direct the steps of your life going forward.
