Surviving Storms

Whether you are just beginning your career or are a seasoned veteran I am willing to bet at some point you faced a storm that threatened to capsize your career. Surviving a storm is never fun, but it is often a period of significant personal growth.  We can improve our ability to survive life’s storms if we keep in mind some truths Jesus taught the disciples.

Recorded in Matthew 8, Mark 4, and Luke 8 is the miracle of Jesus calming the storm. Just prior, Jesus had been teaching the disciples through parables about the new Kingdom. At the conclusion of these teachings Jesus tells the disciples to get in the boat and go to the other side of the lake. A terrible storm comes upon the boat threatening to capsize it. The disciples in fear of their lives, wake up a sleeping Jesus and implore Him to save them. Jesus rebukes the sea, and asks the disciples if they still have such little faith.

³⁵ On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” ³⁶ And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. ³⁷ And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. ³⁸ But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” ³⁹ And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. ⁴⁰ He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” ⁴¹ And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” Mark 4:35-41 (ESV)

There are five important lessons about surviving storms in this short passage:

1) Jesus put them in the storm. The truth is life is not all about achieving personal comfort—there will be storms in our lives—especially when we follow Jesus. We don’t grow much when we are comfortable, but we can grow a lot by surviving storms. Jesus knew there would be a storm and He used the storm to teach the disciples another important lesson.

2) Jesus cares about your anxiety. Jesus could have sent the disciples on ahead in the boat to face the storm on their own, but He did not. He never left their side, and He is with us always.

3) Jesus has the power to make a difference. It may not be when or how we want it, but He has the ultimate power to make a difference in our lives. Jesus rebuked the wind and the sea quieting the storm with the spoken word.

4) My fear hinders my faith. These seasoned sailors, familiar with the sudden storms, knew they were in trouble and panicked thinking they were about to perish. Just earlier in the day Jesus had been teaching the disciples about the glories of the new Kingdom, but in this moment of desperation and fear they forgot what Jesus had been teaching them.

5) Never lose sight of the power of Jesus in my life. After Jesus calms the storm the disciples wonder who is this that even the wind and sea obey Him? Haven’t they been paying attention? How easy it is in the midst of a storm to take control and try to weather it all on our own power. We forget the power of Jesus in our lives!

There will be storms in our lives, but they are opportunities for great personal growth if we remember that Jesus cares about us, and He has the power to make a difference in our lives. Remember also that our fear is the greatest barrier to our faith and relying on Jesus. I love this quote, “Faith isn’t faith until it is all you’re holding on to.”  Finally, surviving a storm is easiest if we never lose sight of the awesome power of Jesus and what He can do!