It is easy to see Jesus when the going is good or we are in a church service. It is not so easy to see Him in the night with storm winds blowing. We are told that the disciples feared and anyone would have in that scenario. When circumstances beyond our control come upon us and our emotions begin to stir and threaten to become just as uncontrollable we can identify with them.
The problem is that we often we see ghosts in our storms instead of Jesus. We see what is not real. We fear and fret over what could happen. We are like the woman whose frustrated husband asked why she worried herself sick all the time. Her response was that worry works because 90% of what she worried about didn’t happen.
Fear has torment the Bible tells us. It will harm us on many levels. It will even choke out the Word. Fear is a destructive force that can ruin or paralyze lives.
The answer is to cope with fear. The bravest hero is not the one in the crowd who had no fear. He was the one who acted in spite of it. We Christians must take our fear and deal with it by “casting our cares” on the Lord. He is able to take them from us if we will give them to Him. A man was once a terrible worrier. It had caused him ulcers and other stress related problems. Then there was a very noticeable change in him. His health and countenance improved. A friend asked him what the difference was. “I hired a professional worrier. If there is something that causes me to start worrying I immediately take it to him.” His friend asked, “How much does that cost?” $100,000,” he replied. “How can you afford that?” his friend queried. “I let him worry about it,” was his response. You and I have something much better. We have a Savior that we can take our troubles to and He will give us peace that passes all understanding.
Jesus can be trusted. 365 times in Scripture the phrase “fear not” is used in some form. When we learn to trust Jesus fear will lose it’s power. He is faithful and will never leave us. Once I went fishing in a small jonboat with only a trolling motor. The fishing was so good I lost track of how far I had gone out on Lake George (the second largest lake in Florida). The winds started picking up and suddenly I found myself blown into the cattail covered bank of that massive lake too far from the landing. The waves seemed like they were ocean waves. I cried out to God to calm the wind and the waves. I became frustrated and even angry that God wouldn’t help me. Then I heard the still small voice of God. “The storm in you is the one I worry about more than the one around you. I want to calm that one because it will help you in your life in a major way in days to come.” What peace came! Although I had to get out of my boat in the alligator and snake infested water and pull my boat back in waist deep water I had the amazing peace and the joy of the Lord. I learned a powerful lesson that day… in a storm.
When the storm comes upon us simply find Jesus. Notice that He said to them, “It is I. Don’t be afraid.” In the midst of any hurricane you will find in the center a place of perfect peace. It is right in the middle. It’s called the “eye” of the storm. Jesus is the “I” of your storm. Get to Him and although the storm may be raging all around, in the arms of Jesus there is peace and safety.
