Two-minute read.
Picture this moment: Jesus tells the disciples to get in the boat and cross the sea. In complete obedience, they follow His instructions and sail into a violent storm. Being in God’s will doesn’t free us from difficult circumstances; in fact, it sometimes leads us into them. Only through storms do we learn the Lord’s reaction.
Sometimes He calms the storm.
Other times He calms us in the storm.
Either way, His presence changes the situation.
The disciples ask a question I think we all ask at some time or another: “Don’t you care?” Storms can make us feel isolated and alone. We want action, but none comes. And we may wonder why we must go through the difficulties we face. When Jesus calmed the storm, He showed the disciples He hadn’t abandoned them, even when He seemed silent.
Without the storm, the disciples wouldn’t have learned the lesson.
Peace doesn’t mean the absence of a storm.
Jesus’s presence brings peace.
We live in a world that tells us about the storms coming our way. The disciples didn’t have the weather channel. When they sailed across the Sea of Galilee with Jesus in their boat, they didn’t know what awaited them.
And neither do we.
Even with advance notice of a hurricane coming our way, we can’t comprehend what the storm will do when it arrives. Sometimes the storms lose steam before they hit land; other times they cause unimaginable damage.
But one thing remains the same.
We can’t avoid the storm.
And we can weather it with the Savior, who controls the winds and sea.
When Jesus says, “Be still,” we can trust His authority over both the storm and our fear. Nothing can stop God’s will from unfolding. Each day, as we face the challenges, we can thank Him for them. Through our storms, we learn the greatest lessons and draw close to the Savior. Without challenges, we would never call on the Lord. But because of our struggles, we wake Him up and seek His help.
Without a bad day, we wouldn’t appreciate a good one.
Without a storm, we wouldn’t cry out for divine help.
Without the Lord, we can’t find peace in the storm.
Journal Questions:
- What “storm” are you facing right now? What fears or worries are rising to the surface as you walk through it?
- Have you ever felt like Jesus was silent or asleep in the middle of your storm? What does this passage remind you about His presence and care?
- Where do you need to hear Jesus say, “Be still” today? What would it look like to surrender that situation to Him and trust His authority over the storm?
Application:
Ask Jesus to move in whatever storm you face.
