Into the Stormഉദാഹരണം

The Storm of Fear

Faith is the antidote for fear. I understand how this sentiment might sound to some of you. I get it, and I am not saying faith is easy by any means. I have been in the middle of a living nightmare and had well‑meaning people tell me to just have a little faith. None of us want what feel like bumper‑sticker answers from distant bystanders when we are in the middle of a very real hardship or storm. I am not saying this to belittle or gloss over your fear—but I do want to point out the simple truth that fear and faith do not coexist well. They create friction when they attempt to occupy the same space; one will always try to displace the other. We must actively choose which one to let run wild and which one to restrain. Fear is easy, but we have to fight for faith. So how do we do that? One way is to immerse ourselves in the Word of God. It is truth. It is the absolute we can cling to in the middle of our uncertainty.

Even when the storms of life rage all around you, you can remember who is in the boat with you. Remember His faithfulness. Remember everything He has done. If the disciples had remembered the power and authority of the One who was with them in the boat in Luke 8, they might have viewed Jesus’s cat‑nap a little differently. Jesus is in this with us, and as Christians we can take our cues from His demeanor in the storm. Our Savior never panics. Our King is not tossed about by the wind and the waves. Let comfort and confidence flow from His posture. He is not pacing, sweating, laboring, or freaking out. He is seated on the throne with nothing and no one having even the slightest possibility of dethroning Him. Remind yourself who He is and what He has done. Make a mental list and write it down so you don’t forget. Maybe your list does not seem as spectacular as the one the disciples had in Luke; after all, you probably haven’t personally witnessed Jesus healing a man from leprosy. That is okay. If you woke up today with breath in your lungs and with a future and hope rooted in eternity—that is a pretty spectacular list right there.

Maybe you are in a season of life where it seems like the wind is howling and you feel like you are sinking. I know how it feels when fear keeps crashing in like waves, filling up your boat faster than you can empty it. But you are not alone. Remember the Miracle Maker is with you. Take your cues from His demeanor in the storm. Remind yourself of the goodness, faithfulness, love, and grace He has shown you in the past. Pray—ask God to show you miracles you have not noticed before, or to remind you of the ones you have lost sight of. Big and small, they are littered throughout all of our stories. Write them down. If you are having trouble getting started, then start with the cross. There is no more powerful miracle and no better picture of God’s faithfulness and love than that. When fear fills your thoughts and steals your courage, speak out your faith even if your voice trembles. Cast down anything that tries to eclipse your view of His faithfulness, His power, His magnitude. In your storm, cling to the One the wind and the waves obey.