35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”
"Let us go across to the other side."
That's a promise! It's like He's saying, "Relax! We're gonna make it." Think about it: Jesus--God Himself--told His disciples that they were gonna cross to they other side, shouldn't they believe Him?
But then comes the storm, and as the huge waves and mighty winds buffet them, the disciples forget what Jesus said not 20 minutes ago and panic:
"Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?"
Of course He does, He is in the boat too! Besides, He just told you everything is gonna be alright. He is so relaxed, so secure, that He falls asleep!
But what does Jesus do? He delivers them at just the right time. And then He looks at them and says:
"Why are you so afraid?
Have you still no faith?"
Man do I relate to those disciples. He has delivered me through and from so much, why should I worry? Why do I become discontent, sad, doubting, confused, afraid, or unsure? Have I still not learned? What reason do I have to worry? I mean, what real reason can I muster? All my questions and worries melt away when brought to Him. God allows us to go through storms, usually to teach us and better us, and He may not always calm them for us, but He has promised that everything will be alright. What comforts me is that even in the dire midst of the storm, Jesus was there. He was always with His disciples, and He is always with us now. Life may become hard and painful at times, but so long as I'm with Jesus, I wouldn't have it any other way. I pray He'll give me strength enough to rest in Him.
"He wants them to learn to walk and must therefore take away His hand; and if only the will to walk is really there He is pleased even with their stumbles. Do not be deceived, Wormwood. Our cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do our Enemy's will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys." ~ Screwtape, the senior demon. I thought of this quote when I was thinking about how sometimes it doesn't necessarily feel like He's there, even though He is. It can be so hard to rely on and be content in Him, but like you said, when we bring our emotions and thoughts before Him, he will enable us to endure the hardship.
ReplyDeleteOur God is so much bigger than everything we go through. If we are in His hands, there is truly nothing we ought to worry about. Hard to live that sometimes, but He "works all things for the good of those whose hearts are truly His." Rom 8:28
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