Very recently, a terrible windstorm tore through my area. It was just as wild as another rainstorm that had visited us about two days before this one. And as that first storm had left some destruction (crumpled-up roofs, flipped solar panels, etc.) in its wake, I was understandably apprehensive. Was the next violent gust of wind going to be the one that would finally heist the roof over my head and send me into a frenzy trying to save my possessions from the elements?
As I lay wrapped in my bed, with my heart on its way to my mouth, hearing my roof shriek and feeling the ground rumble from the sheer violence of the wind, I was reminded of a story a bit similar to mine.
The gospels of Matthew (8:23-27), Mark (4:35-41) and Luke (8:22-25 all relate the story of when Jesus and His disciples were caught up in the middle of a storm on the sea.
Did I say my condition was similar to theirs? Perhaps that was an understatement.
Keep in mind that a good number of these men were seasoned fishermen and had probably braved more storms on open seas than the average Judean. Yet the storm that those men faced that night was powerful enough to send them into a panicked frenzy – it was nothing like they had ever seen before. At least I had the relative solidity of walls and a roof to offer me some protection. All these men had was a boat that was in every danger of being submerged beneath the waves.
Yet, in the middle of all of the “wahala” the disciples were going through to try and stay afloat, someone was having a very peaceful nap in a corner of the same boat. If I had been on the boat with the disciples, I would not have been able to understand, for the life of me, how Jesus was still managing to sleep. Understandably, the disciples (with some frustration, I believe) shake Jesus awake and apprise Him of their situation.
What Jesus does upon waking, leaves them in bewilderment. He calms the storm (like the God He is!) and then questions them.
“And he said unto them, where is your faith? …”
(Luke 8:25a, KJV)
In the other synoptic gospels, Jesus also quizzes them on why they were afraid. But most importantly, like Luke relates, they all emphasize on how Jesus was most displeased with their lack of faith.
Fear, in a proper context, is a perfectly normal human response to danger. And Jesus understood this. But what He didn’t understand was them allowing fear to rule their actions, instead of faith in Him.
It’s the same way Jesus doesn’t understand how we could possibly allow fear take over our lives in perilous times, instead of allowing faith lead the way. Many of us when faced with circumstances that threaten our well-being, react, make decisions and live in fear of what may or may not happen. As a last resort, we usually go to “wake” Jesus with hearts full of fear like the disciples did.
It’s physiological to feel fear when faced with a threatening situation. But what God expects us to do in such circumstances is to respond with faith and live by your faith. Let faith rule and not fear. God didn’t bring you this far to watch you perish in the storms of life. God has an expected and beautiful ending in store for you. God is ever with you and will not forsake you.
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
(Hebrews 4:16, KJV)
In difficult circumstances, God requires us to have faith in His ability to save us. He requires us to come to Him for help with our hearts full of the boldness that faith in God brings. God expects us to live in faith, not in fear.
And live in faith is what I attempted to do on this fateful night, as I whispered a prayer to God for peace. The storm didn’t immediately get calm, but my heart did, and I peacefully slept off shortly after, even though the wind was still trying to wrest my roof off from its moorings.
In Plain Sight 
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