Have you ever been through a stormy season? Or maybe you're going through one now?

Let's have a read of Matthew 8:23-27 and Mark 4:35-41. Notice in this passage it wasn't the devil that sent them out, it was Jesus' idea. "Let us go..." (Mark 4:38)

 

In Matthew 8:24 it says that suddenly, without warning, there was a fierce storm!

Well, the disciples were not expecting that! So they panicked and started crying out to Jesus, who was asleep in the boat, saying "don't you care if we drown?" (Mark 4:38)

How funny, we know and sing "Jesus loves me..." when everything is going well but as soon as a storm hits we often start to doubt His love for us!

 

Well, first of all, His love for us will never change, it's unconditional, stable and eternal, then, notice that when we panic and fear all these doubts start to arise. Never doubt His love, remember He gave Himself up being crucified among criminals just because of His great love!

 

So Jesus rebuked the wind and waves and suddenly there was a great calm on the water but notice what He says "why are you so afraid?" (Matthew 8:26) They had already seen many miracles! They must have thought... "Maybe we don't really know Him as well as we thought!" because they start to question "who is this?"

 

So what can we learn out of this?

  1. Sometimes it's God that sends us out into the storm. Not to harm us but to mature us. It's when the storm rises that our faith is tested, not when all is calm. So are we going to persevere through the storm or are we going to shrink back and return back to the shore?

  2. Never doubt His love when you go through stormy times. When Jesus is in our boat we can never drown! If He said 'Let's go to the other side', well, you can be sure that you will get there! Just pray and then trust Him! Remember we have an enemy, the devil, which wants to stop us from moving on! To stop us from reaching the other side!

  3. There are times when we just need to go through a storm to get to the other side but usually, when we come through we'll be stronger, more mature and with more faith!

So let's remember that He Who leads us into the storm, is able to lead us through it! He is able to calm the storms within us and in our lives!

 

I've heard it said, "The Peace of God is not the absence of problems; it is the Presence of Divine sufficiency in the midst of problems."

 

"You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in YOU, all whose thoughts are fixed on YOU!

Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock." (Isaiah 26:3-4)

 

More Scriptures: Psalm 85:8, 119:165, 9:10, 22:4, 28:7, Psalm 37:3, 62:8, 84:12, 118:8, 125:1, Jerimiah 17:7, John 14:27, 16:33, Romans 14:17, Phillipians 4:7.

 

God Bless you all and have a great week!

 

Love Giovanna!