Storms of life refine us like sanding a rough surface smoothes it. Storms allow God to transform us into different types of people. When I was a teenager, our family doctor was a young man who struggled to empathize with his patients. Then he experienced a personal health crisis that almost took his life. After an extended hospital stay, he fully recovered but became a different type of medical doctor. He experienced first-hand what it was like to be cared for and seriously ill. Instead of being the doctor, he had been the patient. This improved his bedside manner considerably.
Storms can shatter life as we knew it. They reset our priorities. While the Lord does not cause storms, He uses them to change us as only He can. Isaiah 64:8 And yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand. [1]
The Disciples in the Storm
As the disciples began their journey that fateful evening, they did not know what was ahead. While strong storms were common on the Sea of Galilee, they usually came in the afternoon, not at night. This storm was unexpected, and so was the lesson Jesus would teach them that night.
These seasoned fishermen were so frightened in the storm that they woke Jesus up. Mark 4:38bTeacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” 39 When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. 40 Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41 The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!” [2]
Jesus Taught the Disciples in the Storm
In one of the most severe storms of their lives, the disciples experienced the power of God as He calmed the wind and the waves. What has the Lord taught you through the storms of life? Storms have led me to a greater dependence on God in my own life. In addition, God has used them to get my attention when I did not want to listen. Also, I found them humbling, and they showed me I was not in control. As the disciples encountered an unexpected storm, they experienced all these things and more.
Sometimes peace in the storm is not when the waves stop but the peace the Lord gives us to endure the storm. Peace isn’t the absence of difficulty. It’s the presence of God. This, too, Paul found while in prison. Philippians 4:7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.[3]
God’s presence brings peace even when circumstances are storming around us. Isaiah 43:2When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. [4]
To hear the storms of life refine us, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/mark-jesus-calms-the-storm
[1-2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.
[3-4] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (2016). Crossway Bibles.