Not long ago, I watch a movie called Twister. The film, which came out in 1996 was about a team of storm chasers in Oklahoma. The team was trying to deploy a storm research device up into a tornado.
If you search for storm chasers on YouTube there are some crazy videos of people who actually chase tornadoes trying to get as close as possible for photos and video coverage.
I have to admit that storm chasing is not for me. In fact, sometimes I feel like storms are chasing me. Do you ever feel that way? Storms of stress, sickness, financial difficulties, relationship problems, and work issues seem to be chasing us. Do you ever ask yourself, “Why does life have to be so hard?”
There’s a story in the New Testament that encourages me. In Mark 4 Jesus and his disciples were in a boat on the Sea of Galilee. After a long day of teaching, Jesus was tired and was asleep in the boat. A terrible storm came upon the sea and the boat nearly sank.
Mark 4:38-41 says, The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Jesus was asleep, the disciples were awake. But in terms of faith – the disciples were the ones asleep. Asleep to the reality of who Jesus was. Asleep to what they already knew about Jesus. Asleep to what they had already seen Jesus do. Their faith was asleep. What happens in this story is that the faith in Jesus wakes up. “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
This story reminds us that as long as Jesus is in your life you’re going to be okay. He’ll either calm the storm around you, or he’ll calm the storm inside you. Either way, Jesus is the one who provides the peace you need.
Sometimes the storms of life are confusing, so here’s some truth about storms:
•Everyone faces storms in their life.
Some of you right now feel as if the storm clouds are gathering. Others of you may be, right now, in the worst storm of your life. What we often forget is that everyone has storms. Jesus said in Matthew 5, “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Storms, problems, difficulties, and trials come to all of us. There is no exclusion. No exception. Just because you are a Christian, does not mean you will be excluded from the storms of life.
•Some storms come because we are outside of God’s will. We can create storms because of our sins, our mistakes, and our poor choices.
•Some storms come because we are in God’s will
Just because you are encountering a storm in your life, does not mean necessarily that you are out of the will of God or willfully disobeying him.
Every storm comes with a purpose. God’s objectives. Lessons learned. Spiritual growth to be obtained. Faith to be strengthened.
Here’s what I love about the story of Jesus and the disciples in the boat.….Jesus rebuked the storm….not the disciples. To them he simply asked, “Why are you so afraid?
If we allow them to, the storms of life provide us with opportunities to develop a deeper faith in God. There is no doubt that the experience on the sea caused the disciples to trust Jesus more than they ever had before. After all, the wind and the waves obey him.
Today’s Challenge: Are you in a storm right now? Does it feel as if the waves will crash over your boat. Recognize that you can trust Jesus. He is with you. Let this experience cause your faith to grow even more.
