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By:
Shannon Kay McCoy
When I was a kid growing up in South
Carolina, I loved thunderstorms.
If we were at my Granny’s house, she would
make us unplug everything electrical.
That meant no TV or radio (there was no internet
in those days). My siblings and I had no other choice but to play with each
other.
We found a way to endure the storm until it
blew over.
Sometimes storms can cause much damage and
wreak havoc in the lives of many.
These storms of life threaten our peace,
comfort, and joy, and often bring about fear, doubt, and hopelessness.
In Mark 4:34-41,
the disciples found themselves caught in a ferocious storm while on a boat in
the middle of the Sea of Galilee and simultaneously in a spiritual storm of
fear and doubt.
They feared for their lives. Jesus was fast
asleep in the stern of the boat while the storm was raging.
They woke Him and
said, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” (Mark 4:38).
Jesus woke up, calmed the storm, and
questioned their faith in Him (Mark 4:40).
They were no longer afraid of the storm, but
very afraid of the supernatural power of Jesus that led them to wonder who He
was, that even the wind and sea obey Him (Mark 4:41).
The disciples learned significant lessons
that day that transformed their lives.
We can learn much from their experience as we
face the storms of our own lives.
God Ordains the Storms of Life
“It doesn’t make
sense for a loving God to allow His followers to suffer,” some would say.
This is a simple conundrum to solve.
Jesus tells us in
John 16:33, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have
overcome the world.”
Jesus promises us that we will have trials
and tribulations in this world, but because He has overcome the world, we can
trust Him in the storms.
When storms hit, we
often wonder, “Why is this happening?”
In James 1, we see that God
has a purpose for every trial that we experience.
God uses trials to
test the genuineness of our faith.
They questioned the very character of Jesus,
implying that He did not care for them.
We may feel the same way when we face a
health crisis or a financial hardship that may cause us to lose our home.
But 1 Peter 5:7 reminds us to cast all of our
cares and concerns on Jesus, because He cares for us.
God Is in Control of the Storms of Life
The disciples were
filled with great fear when Jesus rebuked the wind and told the sea, “Peace!
Be still!” (Mark
4:39).
Jesus displayed amazing supernatural power
over nature.
We learn, along with the disciples, that
Jesus can be trusted in the storm. This is because He is sovereign.
God’s sovereignty is
described in Psalm 24:1-2: “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and
established it on the waters.”
He is involved in everything in this world
and is directing all things, people, nature, etc. to fulfill His divine
purposes.
When facing the storms of life, understanding
the sovereignty of our amazing God is essential.
The disciples showed us both what to do and
what not to do.
They were right to go to Jesus in the storm.
However, they fell short because they went to Him in fear and doubt.
Jesus wanted them to have faith in Him in the
midst of the terrible storm.
In Philippians 4:5-6, we learn how to replace
our fear and anxiety with prayer, supplication, and thanksgiving.
We are released from the grip of fear and
anxiety when we thank Him for His sovereign power and purpose for the storms.
We can trust His promise that His peace will
guard our hearts and minds so that we will not be fearful or anxious during the
storm (Philippians
4:7).
God Is for You in the Storms of Life
In their fear, the disciples questioned if
Jesus cared for them.
He asked them, “Why
are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40).
Not only did Jesus rebuke the wind and the
waves, but He rebuked the disciples for their unbelief.
Their unbelief caused their fear, and their
fear caused them to question whether Jesus really cared. Jesus expected them to
know that He was for them and that He did not want to destroy them.
Isaiah 41:10 states, “Fear
not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God.”
Believing that God is for you can transform
your life.
When it seems like there is no sound coming
from Heaven, you can still believe that God is for you.
The storms of life are part of God’s
sanctification plan, revealing your heart, and growing you into His image.
Do not let the difficult storms become bigger
than the promises of Jesus.
He promises to be with you through any storm
that He allows in your life (Isaiah 43:2).
Allow the storms of life propel you to trust
God as your refuge and deliverer.
Questions for Reflection
When the storms of life hit, what is your
first reaction?
Can you look back on previous storms in your
life and accept that God ordained the storm and was in control of it?
How will the realization that God is for you
impact your fear?
Shannon
Kay McCoy
is a biblical counselor at her church in Southern California. She has a Master
of Arts in Biblical Counseling from The Master’s College in Santa Clarita, CA,
and is ACBC certified. She is a retreat and conference speaker and is the
author of Help! I’m A Slave To Food and a contributing author to Women
Counseling Women. Shannon blogs for the BCC and IBCD.
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https://puricarechronicles.blogspot.com/2018/05/master-of-wind-candy-hemphill-christmas.html
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