Yesterday was a tough day. We've all had those days when one thing goes
wrong, then another would follow. It's painstaking to experience one bad
news over another. It's downright discouraging because it seems that
there's no way out. It also brings fear to our hearts.
I was calling out to God. I was crying out how tired I was and how I could not deal with it anymore. When I was reading my Bible today, I found people in a similar (well not exactly, but this was how I felt in my spirit last night).
The disciples were on a boat with Jesus. Suddenly a furious storm came, and WAVES BROKE OVER THE BOAT, SO THAT IT WAS NEARLY SWAMPED. Jesus was sleeping during that time, even when it seemed like the storm would overpower the boat and they would all drown. The disciples asked a similar question that I think a lot of us, at one point or another asked God:
"Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"
Haven't we asked God the same thing in our lives? When storms shake us, don't we cry out, "God, don't you care about me?" or "God, don't you care that this is happening to me?"
Now, I don't want to belittle the disciples. I think at some point, their fear was valid because I can imagine the waves were so huge because it could already swamp the boat. They were literally in a position were in they were in danger.
Jesus responded first by quieting the storm saying, "Quiet! Be Still!" The wind died down instantly and it was COMPLETELY CALM.
Yes, the disciples' fear was valid. However, they forgot one important factor: Jesus was in their boat. In the face of danger and difficulties, it's so hard to view that Jesus is still in the same boat with us. It's so easy to forget our faith and focus on the fears that these circumstances bring.
Jesus asked a very important question to his disciples that I think we should ask ourselves as well: "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
And he's right, Jesus has been nothing but faithful to us and to his disciples. Before this instance, they were seeing Jesus perform miracles here and there, healing the sick, and casting out demons. In the same way, we saw him touch our lives and the lives of people we love. We experienced his grace and his favor so many times, as well. Yet, when storms come... we still forget and fret, and fear that we're going to die.
Why are we still so afraid?
For those of us, who may say, not me, I've never experienced Jesus that way in my life. Maybe the question should be, is Jesus in your boat? Maybe it's time to ask him into your life and into your boat for you to experience his power, his love and his faithfulness in our lives.
I believe Jesus wants to be in our boat if we welcome him in our lives. More so, I believe that when he is in our boat he expects us to trust that he has got us. We already know what happened. Jesus calmed the storm, no fret... no fuss. He is God and he is in control.
With Jesus, fear should not be an option anymore when it comes to difficulties, danger, and disappointments. With Jesus, there's only faith. When we're with Jesus, there's only stillness in the midst of a storm.
I was calling out to God. I was crying out how tired I was and how I could not deal with it anymore. When I was reading my Bible today, I found people in a similar (well not exactly, but this was how I felt in my spirit last night).
The disciples were on a boat with Jesus. Suddenly a furious storm came, and WAVES BROKE OVER THE BOAT, SO THAT IT WAS NEARLY SWAMPED. Jesus was sleeping during that time, even when it seemed like the storm would overpower the boat and they would all drown. The disciples asked a similar question that I think a lot of us, at one point or another asked God:
"Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"
Haven't we asked God the same thing in our lives? When storms shake us, don't we cry out, "God, don't you care about me?" or "God, don't you care that this is happening to me?"
Now, I don't want to belittle the disciples. I think at some point, their fear was valid because I can imagine the waves were so huge because it could already swamp the boat. They were literally in a position were in they were in danger.
Jesus responded first by quieting the storm saying, "Quiet! Be Still!" The wind died down instantly and it was COMPLETELY CALM.
Yes, the disciples' fear was valid. However, they forgot one important factor: Jesus was in their boat. In the face of danger and difficulties, it's so hard to view that Jesus is still in the same boat with us. It's so easy to forget our faith and focus on the fears that these circumstances bring.
Jesus asked a very important question to his disciples that I think we should ask ourselves as well: "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
And he's right, Jesus has been nothing but faithful to us and to his disciples. Before this instance, they were seeing Jesus perform miracles here and there, healing the sick, and casting out demons. In the same way, we saw him touch our lives and the lives of people we love. We experienced his grace and his favor so many times, as well. Yet, when storms come... we still forget and fret, and fear that we're going to die.
Why are we still so afraid?
For those of us, who may say, not me, I've never experienced Jesus that way in my life. Maybe the question should be, is Jesus in your boat? Maybe it's time to ask him into your life and into your boat for you to experience his power, his love and his faithfulness in our lives.
I believe Jesus wants to be in our boat if we welcome him in our lives. More so, I believe that when he is in our boat he expects us to trust that he has got us. We already know what happened. Jesus calmed the storm, no fret... no fuss. He is God and he is in control.
With Jesus, fear should not be an option anymore when it comes to difficulties, danger, and disappointments. With Jesus, there's only faith. When we're with Jesus, there's only stillness in the midst of a storm.
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