“When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm.” – Luke 8:24
Are you going through some storms in your life? If so, don’t give up! A story from the Gospels offers tips on how to safely navigate choppy waters.
In the book of Luke, Jesus said to His disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake” (Luke 8:22). So when they got in the boat and started across the Sea of Galilee, a storm came up. But it wasn’t just a few waves—it was a violent storm!
As the storm got worse, Jesus was asleep down below. Can you imagine how scared the disciples must have been? They probably argued over who would wake Him up. One disciple might have said, “Hey, you go wake Him up.” While another disciple could’ve responded, “No, you wake him up!”
Even though they had been hanging out with Jesus for a long time, they were scared to death. Sure, they believed that He was the son of God. But during a storm, they were afraid.
They finally do wake Him up by yelling that they were going to drown. How did He respond? He calmed the storm. Then He turned to them and said, “Where is your faith?” vs. 25. Jesus made the point that they didn’t know who He was or they wouldn’t be afraid.
There are three questions you can ask God when storms hit your life.
First, “God, where are you?“
Maybe your child or spouse gets sick. Perhaps a loved one dies. Or maybe you go through rejection or an abusive relationship. You expected God to protect you from anything painful, so now you think He has abandoned you. Honestly express your emotions to God—He can take it. Make sure you have a good support system in place so you have people who care for you. You need people in your life who can love and support you.
Second, “God, what are you teaching me?“
You may want God to fix your problems or take them away. However, this is an easy way out. Jesus allowed the disciples to go through the storm because He wanted the disciples to see He was in control of everything. So He didn’t save their lives immediately. He let them experience the storm to show them He was in total control. He calmed that sea—and He can do that for us! Maybe the reason why He has allowed you to go through storms is that He has something for you to learn. Ask God to show you what He’s trying to teach you.
Third, “God, what am I going to do?”
What is your response going to be? Hopefully, your response will be to trust God more. Keep your eyes off of the waves and onto Christ. Despite your fear, you can respond with faith. No matter what circumstances you’re facing right now, believe that God still loves you. He longs for you to surrender your fears to Him. And He is powerful enough to calm any of the storms in your life.
So the next time a storm comes into your life, remember to ask God these questions—and don’t forget about the story of Jesus calming the waves! He’s going through whatever you’re going through; you’re not alone. Although your life looks like it’s out of control, He is still in control of the universe. More importantly, God is right there in the boat with you.