by David Brenneman
"Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away." Matthew 14:22.
After Jesus miraculously fed five thousand people from a few loaves and fishes, He sent the disciples on a journey that would ultimately take them into a storm. The implication in the passage is that they didn't want to go, but Jesus insisted. Soon enough, the winds and waves began to batter their ship.
At best, the disciples might have thought they were going to be off course or late in their arrival. At worst, they may have feared death. But Jesus knew they needed to learn the important lesson that He is not only the Sovereign over the wind and sea but also the
omnipotent Lord of their lives.
The same is true for you. Jesus has a plan for bringing you through the storms you are experiencing. He also has a specific timetable. His purposes are perfect, even when you don't understand them or they impinge on your personal goals. But be assure that Jesus is with you in the tempests, regardless of their nature or origin, and that He has a divine plan for getting you through. And just as the disciples arrived exactly where they needed to be righ when they were supposed to be there, so will you.
Jesus, teach me to trust You completely in this storm. Amen
- Trusting God with Today, Dr. Charles Stanley.
I wonder if you ever caught that my Dear Reader? That Jesus instructed them to get in the boat and to leave Him there and go.
He knew full well what was coming...a lesson or two on belief and faith. We can see that they knew nothing going into it. We know nothing going into the many places that the Spirit leads us. I knew nothing of what storm I stepped into on June 12th, 2025. I was as likewise stunned and breathless from what had just come upon me. Like someone landing a hit right to my chest.
I do thank my Savior Jesus Christ that my first thoughts weren't towards panicking. Looking back I can see where He was leading my thoughts and conversations.
By ever accounting that storm was as real to me as what these Disciples were living. Probably in your life you can give testimony about yours as well.
And right there it is. The crux of it all. The real central thought to glean from.
We are going to go through storms that are as unique as they aren't. We will either lean on our living Lord and Savior Jesus Christ or we won't. We will eventually have an irrefutable testimony to share and show of the love of God for us through these times. The Disciples sure did. They had lived a lesson that 11 of them wouldn't soon forget.
When we are lead into the storm realize that Jesus is right there in the midst. He saw them...from the shoreline...and knew exactly what they were facing.
When your storm comes, and it will, you have to choose to look to your Savior. God is GOING to be glorified through our struggles and storms, but just how much He will is on each of us.
"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28.
Jesus, at the Father’s direction, caused this storm to come upon His Disciples.
Jesus, knows how we learn. I have heard it from several people over the years to learn how you learn and go with that. Jesus knows ahead of time what the results of our storm will be. Question is whether we will need to repeat it to glean the lesson of it.
Our storms also are there to grow us in Christ. If you have no storms you should question that. A life without them will be like a big oak tree that easily fell when the first real storm comes upon it. No firm roots to anchor it. Storms cause all trees everywhere to seek to go deeper. Look at what the Lord shows us in nature. Old big tall trees are only still there because of the storms it went through.
Daniel faced many kinds of storms yet he always kept to his schedule of prayer 3x a day no matter what was called upon him to do. His life with the Lord was more important and he was considered greatly esteemed for it.
My current storm is likely coming to an end. A wonderful song and video by Mark Lowry "This Too Shall Pass" is one I gravitate to in times of storm. It's based on a Scripture passage "...it came to pass...". As he says in the video...it came to pass...it didn't come to stay. What we face in this life that's ours to go through isn't here permanently. We are GOING to grow in Christ if we indeed have come to Christ for salvation. The question is how well we will embrace it and share our experiences with others.
He leads us into storms and will lead us out of them. The other end of that story shows us that. Joseph was sold into slavery by his own family. His storm ended with saving them all by how mightily he was used of God.
We have this hope in Christ Jesus that if it comes to pass it will not stay a second longer than is necessary to accomplish God's will for us in these situations. That too is one of Dr. Charles Stanley's Life Principles. #7.
Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness during these storms. Be careful how you listen during these storms.
Set your mind on the things that are above during these storms.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight...in these storms.
All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
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