Seeing God In The Storms

Reflect on God’s Word

Are there hurricane conditions in your heart today, leaving you feeling frightened and out of control?

Perhaps the storm that scares you is a relationship on the rocks, a child in distress, a situation at work that threatens to go badly, or something else. Whatever it is, today God invites you to remember that he is with you in the storm, and that he is in control.

Matthew 8:23–27 tells the story of Jesus on the lake with his disciples when a “furious storm” comes up.

Imagine that you are one of Jesus’ disciples. You’ve been following him for a while, and today has been, as usual, a full day. Jesus has healed so many people, and the crowds keep following him, even when the things Jesus teaches seem confusing and hard.

What is supposed to be your time of peaceful rest on a lake is interrupted by a sudden tempest. High waves sweep over the sides of your boat, and wind and rain whip at your face, but Jesus keeps sleeping.

Finally, you go to Jesus and shake him. You say, “Lord, save us! We are going to drown!” He looks at you with compassion. “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” he asks. You watch as he stands and speaks to the wind and the waves. Everything suddenly becomes completely calm.

Perhaps you hear God asking you the same question today that Jesus asked the disciples on the boat: “Why are you so afraid?”

Physical storms can be very frightening. Hurricanes, tornados, tropical storms, and even thunderstorms can bring great devastation. And there’s nothing we can do about them but make preparations and then either evacuate or ride it out. Because of today’s technology, we know when physical storms are coming, but we don’t have Doppler radar for emotional or spiritual storms.

Nevertheless, Jesus wants to speak the same words to you today that he spoke to his disciples: Don’t be afraid. Perhaps he wants to calm the storm around you, or perhaps he simply wants to calm your heart. The storms you face may seem overwhelming, but you can be sure that God’s power is greater than any storm. Today, he invites you to rest with him, to trust him with your life, so that even when a storm rages, you can be at peace.

If God is for you—and God is for you!—you have nothing to fear. The powerful one, the creator and commander of wind and waves, wants you to be at peace in his love.

Release Your Anxiety

Take your hand and place it directly in front of your face, about an inch away. What do you see? Only your hand, right? Now take that hand and move it back about six inches. You can start to see a little more around it. Now hold your hand at arm’s length. Suddenly, you see a lot more than just your hand.

Staring at your problem, the storm in your life, can take all your focus. Instead, focus on God’s presence in the midst of your storm. There is nowhere that he does not dwell. Jesus was in the boat with his disciples during the storm that worried them so. But instead of focusing on his presence, and the fact that they were safe with him, they focused on the wind and the waves.

Yet Jesus showed them, and he has shown you, that he has power over all he has created. Can you trust that he has power in your life, too? Imagine Jesus turning his eyes of compassion to you. Because he loves you, you can trust him with all the fears and worries in your heart right now. Take a moment to give your fears to God.

As you inhale, feel the breath expanding into your chest. Slowly exhale, feeling the breath leave your body. Let your breath continue this way, growing deeper and steadier, as if the same calm that descended upon the lake at the sound of Jesus’ voice is moving into your body with each breath. This is the life-giving oxygen that comes from God above, and it can calm your soul, settling the anxieties you may face.

Rest here for as long as you need, giving your fears over to God and receiving his love and grace. Today, if the storms of life descend suddenly upon you, remember this moment and this truth: God has power over the storm.

God, you know all about the storms swirling around me today. You know my fears and worries, my weaknesses and my needs. I surrender them all to you right now. I know that you are in control and that you are a God of power and love. I trust you, Father, to take care of me, and to calm the storms in my heart and in my life. In the precious name of your Son, amen.

JOURNAL PROMPT: Write about a storm you currently face. What would it look like if you felt God’s peace in the midst of that storm?