Word of the day: “The perfect storm”
“And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat so that it was already filling. 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” 39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, [g] be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How[h] is it that you have no faith?” 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!””
BELOVED LEADERS,
In this amazing story of the calming of the storm at sea, we witness some of the spiritual challenges we all will face as we navigate fear and trust. The disciples stand both symbolically and literally for all of us as we journey through life, deciding whether to rely on ourselves or on Jesus in this moment. On a personal level, I’ve been facing a storm for the last four years; however, God has been sustaining me through it.
WE WILL ALL HAVE TO DECIDE HOW WE WILL FACE THE STORMS IN OUR LIVES.
When they confront the storm and the mighty waves, they are immediately filled with fear. Similarly, when the trials and anxieties of life confront our self-reliance, the first reaction is fear, since there is no power beyond itself upon which it can rely. Amid this out-of-control storm, this inner and outer tension, Jesus symbolizes that divine superpower that remains unaffected by the fear of storms generated by self-reliance. We can always rely on Jesus, and we will make it through any storm this life sends our way.
FACING THE STORMS IN OUR LIVES AT A SPIRITUAL LEVEL WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE FOREVER.
Continuing to read the story at a spiritual level, we see that it is none other than this divine superpower that calms the waves: he “rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.” This beautiful narrative seems to suggest that if we awaken to the presence of God within us, learn to live and see at a deeper level, and live in basic trust rather than fear, we can withstand even the most frightening storms in our lives.
Perhaps this is a great time to be reading today’s message, especially the part about facing storms at a spiritual level.
POINT TO PONDER:
Whenever you face a storm in your life, learn to ask for help. I’ve discovered that we must learn to ask the Lord for help. We have a tendency to try to figure things out on our own. Whether it’s your marriage, finances, education, career, or business, learn to ask for help; the Lord will show up either through people or Himself.
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