Matthew 14:27 --- But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!”
Storms in life can often pile up on us. Sometimes it's not even directly your storm but your closeness to the person brings winds and waves your way. I'm learning every day the more the wind and waves move, the more storms that roll in, the more I notice how unmovable, unshakeable and rock-solid Jesus is in the middle of it all. The darker circumstances get, the brighter He shines. We can't control the storms, but we can control our choice to trust Him, run to Him, cling to Him, dive into His word, and follow Him one step at a time through them. In the end I've learned peace and joy and stability doesn't come from knowing where the storm ends, it comes in focusing on Jesus and knowing exactly where He is and stepping towards Him.
In my mind I have the image of Jesus leading the way on a dark stormy night. I'm so lost and overwhelmed but I know He knows the way. So, I hyper focus in on his feet. I stay behind him and watch as he takes each step, then I step exactly where His foot was. Step by step by step. Before I know it, my mind is so focused on Jesus and his every step, the storm fades to the background. The fear of what's in the dark, the not knowing where it ends, doesn't matter as much as just being where He is. The storm still rages on, it's still dark, I still don't know where I'm at in it, but the weight of it all lessens the more I realize I just have to step where he steps. Follow where He leads. I may not understand it, I may not get the answer to why this storm, where is the end, what happens when we get there, but the beauty is I don't need those answers when HE is the answer.
I know everyone's storms and circumstances are different. I know many times we find ourselves in storms and others will give us bible verses or advice or encouragement and it all seems so impossible to grasp or to connect with how to apply it. All that's on my heart right now is to share what helped me survive the worst storm of my life.
Really the best summary comes from the story of Jesus walking on the water in Matthew 14:22-33. Disciples were in the boat on stormy seas. Jesus comes walking out to them on the water. They freak out thinking it's a ghost. Jesus cries out to them, "Don't be afraid. Take courage, I am here!". So, Peter being Peter yells back, "Lord if it's really you, tell me to come to you.". So Jesus says, "Come". Peter crawls out of the boat and walks toward Jesus. Then he looked at the wind and waves and became fearful and started to sink. He yells out, "Lord, save me!" and Jesus immediately reaches out and takes hold of him and they get back to the boat together.
My journey looked something like this below.
1. Recognizing Jesus was there in my storm.
2. Choosing to believe and receive when He says, "Don't be afraid. Take courage, I am here!"
3. Then prayer, so much prayer, so much talking to Him. Every 5 minutes even while at work, praying and talking to Him. Asking Him for direction, for what to do, where to go.
4. Then when Jesus' answer was, come and follow me through this. I realized that meant getting out of the boat of my understanding, the boat of my control. There was conflict like never before in me, but I knew my boat was quickly sinking and Jesus was standing on the water of my storm.
5. I had to choose to believe if He called me out of the boat, into the very storm, and I obeyed Him, then whatever happened next was in His hands. Not mine. What did that look like practically, in real life… lots more prayer, diving into the Word off and on all day long. Reaching out to my closest brothers and family to seek prayer, encouragement, and peace in just knowing we weren't alone in it.
6. I chose to believe He heard my prayers, I expected Him to talk to me through His word, I believed Him when He clearly directed me from His word. Often, I had to choose these things a hundred times a day as the waves and wind ripped and tore at me for my attention, but all I knew was Jesus is all there was, so I kept choosing Him.
7. Finally, I had many days I had to start this list over at step 1 and go back to just recognizing He was there.
Why all this came out today, I don't know. This was my walk and what it looked like in the storm.
I know it doesn't always look the same for others. I know some storms are mental, some physical, some spiritual, and sometimes all at once or stacked up. What I do know though, no matter the storm Jesus is in yours too. He stands above the wind and waves. You may not have caught a glimpse of Him yet, but He is there. He calls out the exact same to you, "Don't be afraid. Take courage, I am here!". Now what you choose to do next is up to you, but I know He saved my life and my family's lives through the darkest storms imaginable.
Below is the story of Jesus walking on water and Peter's response to it.
Matthew 14:22-33
22 Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. 23 After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.
24 Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. 25 About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”
27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!”
28 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”
29 “Yes, come,” Jesus said.
So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.
31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”
32 When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.
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