Peace in the Storm

By: Melanie Moore

Lately, we have been having torrential rains. In fact, many areas near me have experienced widespread flooding from the sheer volume and strength of the daily downpours. In the middle of the rain, the sky looks dark and gloomy, and when the thunder shakes the house, I have to admit that it's hard to not be at least a little bit afraid.

Sometimes life feels like that too... In the middle of life's difficulties and hardships, our hearts can start to feel dark and gloomy. The sheer volume of troubles and bad news heading our direction can feel like strong storms pounding on our hearts, and in the middle of the storms, we feel a little afraid.

I think of when Jesus calmed the storm when his disciples were on the boat, and the Bible says that during the storm, the disciples were afraid!

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.”
Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat.
There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up,
and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.
Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him,
“Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!”

 Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

Mark 4:35-30

Does life ever feel that way to you? Do you ever feel like you are crying out to God in the middle of a storm and asking God if He still cares about you? Has your heart ever asked if He has forgotten about you in the middle of the storm?

The God that calmed the seas is still in control. God sees out needs and knows the storms in our hearts. Have you ever considered that even while Jesus was sleeping in the boat, he knew the storms were raging all around Him and the disciples? However, Jesus didn't calm the seas until the disciples cried out for His help.

In the middle of a storm, we may think that we have everything under control and that we can handle life's storms apart from Jesus. Friend, we need to remember that He is our loving Father, the Almighty God who is in control of each wave of life that comes our way. We need to cry out to Him and pray with our whole hearts that He will be with us and help us in each storm.

What are you facing today? Have you talked with Jesus about it? He knows the storms that are surrounding you, but what if he is waiting to hear from you? Will you surrender the storm to Him today and let Jesus be your peace in the storm?