What is Your Storm?

“There is no hope! The ship is going down!! We will drown.” They were terrified because they knew there was nothing that could save them. Someone yelled, “Wake the captain and tell him we are about to die.” The captain I refer to was Jesus and you find that story in Mark 4:37-40.

“A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. 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?” (NiV)

Jesus was teaching them about the journey they would take and the many storms they would meet as they spread the good news. Jesus would take them through their storms and the world would never be the same again.

I can safely say that you have or will have storms in your life. Perhaps you are going through one right now. I am no different. I have had many storms in my life. Some were so big, I did not know how I could get through them. But I did by letting Jesus steer my ship. Who is steering your ship? Who do you go to during a storm? Is it a friend who shares your faith? Have you asked that friend to pray to our Captain? Do you really believe what Jesus said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Joshua 1:5b - NIV)? We will have storms in our life, but we can see victory after victory if we remember who is the Captain of our life and believe He will quiet our storms.

I am friends with one of the great hymn writers back in the 70s and 80s. Stephen Adams wrote songs that we have in hymnals today. He also sang in a popular trio, but one night, while in his RV sleeping on a road trip, a freak accident occurred. The propane gas was leaking and Steve woke up later and had no voice. He was in the hospital for some time. He laid in his room wondering what would happen to his career. As he was praying for God to heal him, he felt the presence of the Lord filling his room and a peace came over him that he could not believe. He started writing a song. It became a hit. This is part of his song:

“When the world that I’ve been living in collapses at my feet. And when my life is all tattered and torn ...There is peace in the midst of the storm-tossed life, there is an anchor, there is a rock to build my faith upon. Jesus Christ is my vessel so I fear no alarm. He gives me peace in the midst of the storm.” Steve knew who could bring him peace.

You may have a storm in a relationship such as marriage, or with a co-worker, or a friend; or being able to get your job finished; or even how you might pay the next bill. You may have a child going through a huge storm, suffered the death of a loved one, experienced a divorce, or you’re uprooting and moving. Where is your faith at these times?

Stop what you’re doing and think about who is the Captain of your ship. Have you made Him your closest friend? We need to be reminded of Proverbs 18:24 when it says, “...There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (NIV). That friend is Jesus Christ.

Take your storm to Jesus, give it to Him and leave it with Him, then watch Him quiet that storm. I can picture my friend, Jesus, saying “Quiet, be still.”