“One day Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.’ So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. The disciples went and woke him, saying, ‘Master, Master, we’re going to drown!’ He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. ‘Where is your faith?’ he asked his disciples.”

Luke 8:22-25a NIV.

You’re sailing along, living your life, when suddenly a furious storm hits.

Bad news knocks you down. Finances hit rock bottom. Your health deteriorates. A loved one’s diagnosis takes your breath away.

You try to figure things out. You try to come up with a plan. You’re overwhelmed as the storm rages and your boat begins to take on water.

Panic strikes as the waves crash, drenching your hair. Fear grabs hold of you as the boat fills, soaking your feet. The winds howl and threaten to tear your boat apart as the vessel creaks from the pressure.

It’s a pressure that squeezes you too. This storm is beyond your control. You grab a bucket and start scooping as fast as you can.

You’re exhausted, and when you finally cry out to Jesus for help, your voice is nothing more than a timid whisper in the furious storm.

But Jesus hears you. He’s quietly been with you all along.

You fix your eyes on Him. You listen and focus on His words instead of the storm. It’s hard, but you ignore the water and the winds. There is an inexplicable peace in His presence even now.

You remember Jesus can calm the winds and the waves, so you stop working and worrying as you wait for Him to do just that.

As you wait, a question stirs within your heart: “Where is your faith?”

You lower your head and cry. You’ve been putting your faith in so many things, including your own ability to handle the storm.

Your heart is heavy when you tell Him you’re sorry. And as you lift your chin and look to Him, your feet soaked and hair dripping wet, you see how small the storm is as it reflects in His eyes. It has no power over Him, and when you rest in His gaze, it loses its power over you.

Your power rests in focusing on Jesus, the One who calms you, the One who can brush away the fiercest storm like a speck of sand. When you put your faith in Him, you realize you have the strength to endure.

You take a deep breath, resolving to trust Him, and when you do, a deeper peace follows.

Your boat may have taken on a lot of water, and you may be exhausted and drenched to the bone, but you KNOW you’re going to make it through this storm because your faith is in your faithful Savior who never leaves you.

And even if Jesus chooses not to calm the storm in the way you hope and the water reaches your knees, you remember your Savior, Jesus Christ, walks on water.

Oh, precious soul. Don’t be discouraged or afraid. Jesus will see you through this storm to the other side. Even if He has to carry you.