THE STORMS IN OUR LIFE

We all go through storms in our life. Storms come without any warning; it just takes a split second for things to change. One minute everything is just fine and the next instant you don’t know what has hit you.

Storms can come in the areas of our relationships, jobs, health or finances – A sudden loss in the family, a sudden health problem, losing a job, or a challenge in the area of finances.

 Whenever we go through challenges or storms in our life we need to remember 2 things-

 God may allow the storm to continue for a long time OR He may still the storm immediately.

1. He is God over the storm and his eye is always on his children.

 To illustrate let us look at 3 stories from the Bible which talk about the storms that various people faced.

 Paul in the storm

Acts 27 tells us the story of Paul along with some other prisoners as they set sail for Italy. The ship in which all of them were sailing in was caught up in a huge storm. All were terrified. They were dangerously tossed about and had to throw the freight, ship’s equipment and even their provisions out of the ship in order to stay afloat. Their suffering continued for nearly 15 days before they could land someplace and escape. All through the horrifying ordeal Paul held on to the promise God had given him (V 24) that he and all those sailing with him would escape. Hence he could endure the storm and reassure the others sailing with him. And in the end none perished.

 Jesus and his disciples in the storm

Mark 4: 37-41 tells us another story of a storm. Jesus and his disciples spent a long day teaching by the shores of Galilee. When it was evening and the sun was beginning to set Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake”. Now the Sea of Galilee is notorious for its storms. It is a small sea and sudden and violent storms are very common here. As they were traveling in the boat a huge squall arose and kept beating at the sides of the boat. The boat began to fill with water. Jesus was at the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” Jesus immediately arose, rebuked the wind and at once it became calm.

 The disciples of Jesus in the storm

MARK 6:47-52 tells us the story of yet another storm.

After Jesus had finished teaching the crowds, He told his disciples to get into the boat and go on ahead of him, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. The wind and the waves were causing the boat to rock violently, threatening to capsize. So there was a possibility of the boat sinking and all on board perishing in the midst of the Sea. And to top it all, this time Jesus was not with them in the boat. Shortly before dawn (after the disciples had struggled for many hours), Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. And He went up unto them into the boat; and the wind ceased.

 There are certain principles that we can glean from these stories-

 In the first instance, God allowed the storm to rage on for a long time but he gave Paul a promise of deliverance which in turn gave him the strength and faith to go through the storm. God could have stilled the storm immediately but he did not do so.

• In the second instance, we see that even though Jesus was with the disciples in the boat, their faith wavered. But Jesus instantaneously stilled the storm, much to the relief of the disciples.

 In the third instance, we observe that though Jesus sent his disciples alone into a storm, HIS eye was on them. Even whilst He was praying and later, he could see that they were struggling, trying to row across. So what did He do? He went over to meet them. And once He was with them, the winds died down.

 So it is with us. Sometimes we have to go through difficulties and suffer but God gives us the strength to do so.

At other times He immediately removes the hurdles and our problems are solved at once.

But no matter what, what we need to understand is that His eye is always on us, His beloved children. He will meet us in the storm. He will be with us when we are in the storm.

 Just remember what Jesus told his disciples (Mark 4: V: 35) – Let US cross to the other side. Meaning He is there with us till we cross over. He will not abandon us midway. He and I, we will cross over safely.