Their boat was being violently tossed, and the disciples were terrified. They’d had fine weather when they set out for the other side of the lake, but the wind blew in unexpectedly and one of the squalls that the lake was famous for rushed down with vengeance. Waves rose higher than the boat as they bailed out the water that rolled over the boat’s sides, shouting to be heard over the roar of the wind.

“Jesus,” they called out as they fought to keep the boat afloat. “Help us, please!” But there was no answer, and they kept up their frantic activity alone. “Jesus, where are you?”

Finally, they discovered Jesus—sleeping.

In frustration, someone shook him awake and cried out, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

Jesus stood, and with a few words he simply commanded the waves to be still.

Can you imagine the silence, after all that blowing, shaking, and yelling? Suddenly, the sea was calm—the sky above reflecting on its still surface. They could hear their hearts pounding in their chests, so sudden and complete was the change in weather.

Jesus looked from one pale, trembling face to the next and shook his head. “Why are you so afraid,” he asked them. “Do you still have no faith?”

God in the Storm

Have you ever found yourself crying out to God during one of life’s hard storms? Maybe it snuck up on you, or maybe it had been brewing for quite some time. A failing marriage, a health crisis, a job loss, a betrayal…the storms of life can seem overwhelming, and it can feel like you are drowning.

Fear can take over when we’re hit with a squall, and we’re left feeling like we’re trying to bail the water out of our little boat with a teacup, exhausted, fighting for our lives and barely able to speak. “Jesus, where are you?” we gasp in prayer. “Don’t you care if I drown?”

At the point that they found themselves at the mercy of the waves in a boat that must have suddenly felt like a bobbing death trap rather than a vessel of safety, the disciples had already seen Jesus do plenty of miracles. He’d turned water into wine, and they had witnessed him heal many sick people. In fact, he’d recently healed a lame man on the Sabbath, inciting the wrath of the Pharisees. And that day, he’s called himself “The Son of Man,”—a direct reference to his identity as Messiah and Savior.

In fact, they’d also seen Jesus at work in the crowds before this fateful boat trip, and when impure spirits encountered him they “fell before him and cried out, ‘You are the Son of God.’” (Mark 3:11).  They’d had plenty of chances to see that Jesus was capable of miracles, that he cared deeply for the people, and that he was no ordinary man. Still, despite the repeated miracles they’d witnessed—they were afraid that Jesus would let them down.

The disciples were afraid that Jesus had abandoned them, not only fearing that he had fallen asleep and wasn’t paying attention, but that he didn’t care what happened to them!

Of course, Jesus cared. And he had the situation under control—he knew that with a few words, he could turn the crisis around and put them back on calm waters. He also knew that what happened that day in the boat was a powerful lesson that would speak to believers through the ages to come, a lesson that we all need to lean on at times.

Trusting in Jesus to Calm Life’s Storms

If the Lord’s close friends, who had been there at his side all along, were lacking in faith…is it any wonder that we often find ourselves in the same “boat”?

Sometimes it really can feel like Jesus is has forgotten about us, he’s asleep on the job or he just doesn’t care. But the truth is, God knows every second of the storm’s path, and He knows your fears and struggles. The story of Jesus calming the storm is found in 3 out of 4 gospels, each account tells the story in near-identical accounts. Despite how it must have felt to the disciples at the time, what happened that day on the lake was no accident—it was a God-Ordained storm, and Jesus used it to show his followers that he is in control of all creation…all of the time.

And the same is true for you, today.

Psalm 121:4 says, “Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps.” God is with you, every moment of the day and every day of the week. He sees your struggles, and He has it all under control. Although the storm may seem unbearable, and although it may feel like your boat is sinking, He’s there for you when you cry out to Him. He can calm the sea with a word, and He’s our safe harbor even when things feel out of control.

If you’re facing a storm, don’t waste time and energy trying to bail your boat out with a teacup. Cry out to Jesus, trust in God, and let Him guide you through the waves.

 

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