As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement, they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him” (Luke 8:23-25, NIV).
I hate storms! And yet, it seems that I have just come through a storm, am in the middle of one, or see dark clouds gathering just ahead. Storms are a reality of life. I have always thought of storms as bad things until I look back over my life and see what God has done through them.
Sometimes the storm came to disrupt my path and sometimes it came to clear it.
I have learned who God is on a whole new level and in a more intimate way.
I once thought that every storm was punishment for something I had done in my past.
Jesus and the disciples had just fed thousands of men, women, and children with a few fish and loaves of bread. As miracles go, it was a doozy! Jesus then told the disciples to get in the boat. He knew the storm was coming, and He put them right in its path. If you are in a storm right now, you are there by divine instructions.
God does not intend for you to drown. He has something He wants to give you in the storm. I’m sure the disciples wanted to stay on shore with the now adoring crowds. But God had something to teach the disciples – a lesson they could not learn on the shore. Some lessons are reserved for the storms of life – for the dark times. There are simply some things we cannot learn in the light.
Okay, I have to admit that we often create storms of our own – storms that God never intended for us to go through. We make a foolish decision. We engage in an unhealthy relationship. We refuse to do what we know God wants us to do. We doubt God’s faithfulness or question His plan. But … God is still God! Just as He is Lord of our good decisions, He will be faithful to be with us in the midst of storms created by our bad decisions. That is the goodness of God. That is the heart of Romans 8:28.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who[a] have been called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28, NIV).
Tucked into that little word “all” is every experience we have ever had or will have in our lives – good and bad, right and wrong, in a raging storm and or on still, quiet waters. Absolutely nothing or no one can separate us from the love of God.
Over the years, I have learned some important truths about storms and pain and their purpose in my life. God is not committed to my comfort, but He is committed to my character. I need to let God be God in my life and choose to trust Him – no matter what. I need to put my feelings in their place and choose to believe God’s Word instead. Even when I can’t see the end of the journey, I need to be willing to take the first step in faith.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39, NIV).
And there you have it! The storm survival kit for your life. So, when the next storm rolls in, you don’t have to tell God how big it is. He already knows. But turn to your storm and tell it how big your God is!
The next time you have more questions than answers, more fears than faith, or more darkness than light, remember the truth that God really is in control. No matter what storm you are facing, God’s got it!
Father, I love You! I may not always understand or like how You work in my life, but I want to grow to the place where I trust You anyway. Please help me learn how to walk by faith … not by sight. When the hard times come, teach me to trust You fully.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Mary
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