January 23, 2016

Storms Test Our Faith

35 On that day, when evening had come, He told them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the sea.” 36 So they left the crowd and took Him along since He was already in the boat. And other boats were with Him. 37 A fierce windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 But He was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him up and said to Him, “Teacher! Don’t You care that we’re going to die?”

39 He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence! Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 Then He said to them, “Why are you fearful? Do you still have no faith?”

41 And they were terrified and asked one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey Him!” -- Mark 4:35-41

As I write this, the wind and rain rage outside. We are under a tornado watch with a great risk of severe weather in the night. I am uneasy.

Storms are nothing new to this part of the country. Our town has been hit hard, tragically. We take all the precautions that we can. We have weather radios and storm sirens and a basement. But, honestly, those things can only protect us so much.

Tonight I answered another’s question with this answer: We’re in God’s hands. Always. We can’t do anything more to protect ourselves. It’s totally up to Him. What will happen, will happen.

I believe that. Truly. Totally. So this unease I feel deep inside bothers me more than the storm outside. Perhaps it is that so much of my life has been unsettled for so long. I go through my days pretending to be calmer than I am. Last year really shook my foundation and I still cling tightly to the Rock that is my Savior.

Life’s storms sometimes come without warning from a direction where we least expect it. We survive because of what He has done for us. But we are forever changed by the storm. We can never go back to being the person we were before the storm.

That’s why it is so important to have rock solid faith before the storm. Once it hits, we need to know what we believe and who we can trust. Jesus, Our Lord and Savior. We need to already have His word planted deep in our hearts. We need to plan in the good times for the storms that are sure to come.