Journal Entry // January 16, 2022
And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.”
Matthew 8:24-25 ESV
Doesn’t this story seem so familiar? I know that I have felt this first sentence so many times over the past two years. The great storm rising up in my life and threatening to undo me. Followed closely by me accusing Jesus of being uncaring and unloving or indifferent to me in this situation. My faith… My weak faith falters at these critical moments and I quickly turn to accusations out of misplaced fear.
The great storms of life will come and will keep coming. Sometimes these storms seem relentless in their pursuit. I picture in my mind a little boat barely large enough to hold thirteen people. Twelve scared men. Some were fisherman and had been in the storms before and yet they were deeply afraid. The thirteenth man was asleep.
The thoughts of these twelve men are my thoughts in these moments of chaos. “Why is Jesus asleep?” I see Jesus asleep in the boat amid the storm bearing down on us. Immediately my mind becomes frustrated and angry at him. I want to know why he is sleeping. Doesn’t he care that I am perishing? I feel abandoned and alone. He sleeps. So I rouse him from his slumber to save me.
In the chaos of adversity and trials of life Jesus is there with me. He’s not oblivious to the storm raging around me. He is in the midst of the storm with me… Sleeping. He is the Lord of the storm. With a word he can make the winds cease. He can calm all the surroundings. But I need this storm of adversity. I need to see Jesus asleep on the boat in the midst of the storm. At perfect ease.
What would faith look like in this moment? Not fearing the wind and the waves. Working diligently to clear the water from the boat, but seeing Jesus at rest in the storm should bring me comfort. He is not oblivious to the storm. Quite the opposite. He is in the storm with me. He brought the storm. He uses the storm to awaken my heart. To stir up my soul. To expose my weakness and dependence upon him.
In this moment of crisis, my savior reigns. My Jesus is there with me. He loves me. He protects me. He brings the storm and he brings the calm. He brings just what I need at just the right moment. All of this because he loves me. So I won’t fear the storm. The storm can only go so far as Jesus allows. My Jesus will see me through the storms of life. Guiding me and leading me to himself. For where he is, there I belong. He is preparing a place for me. He will bring me safely home.