I love thunderstorms. Living in Eastern Washington, I don’t see many of them. But while I was attending college in South Carolina, I had the opportunity to experience a few. The sky grows dark, and the earth waits in anticipation for the first drops of rain. Finally, the clouds break open with a drenching deluge. Then, amid the rushing roar of rain, a brilliant flash of lightning splits the darkness, followed by the distinct rumble of thunder. To me, all this is a display of my God’s power and majesty. And then comes the heart-warming remembrance: this powerful, majestic God loves me individually, and I am His child.
But strangely enough, my love for thunderstorms doesn’t really transfer over to life-storms. How exactly do you compare thunder, lightning, wind, and rain to pain, grief, job loss, poor heath, or financial difficulties? Maybe it would correlate better if I experienced thunderstorm without a building in which to stay warm, dry, and safe. From Matthew 14, we can gain a better understanding of the similarities between the storms in nature and the storms in our lives.
The day had been long, but good. Jesus had healed multitudes, and then had fed over five thousand people with five loaves and two small fishes. Peter and the other disciples had seen God’s working and His awesome power. When it was over, Jesus had put the disciples into a ship and sent them to the other side. I imagine it started well enough, but by the time the disciples in the ship were half-way across the Sea of Galilee, they were in troubled waters. The day had been long, and in spite of the amazing things they had seen, they were tired.
The ship is tossing in the waves, this wind is contrary, and the only option is to continue fighting their way across because they are in the middle of the sea. Then to their horror they see – is that a ghost? No one can walk on water! But that’s not their biggest problem. Now it it’s coming closer. In their fear and confusion, the disciples cry out.
And then, across the fitful waves, above the howling wind comes the voice of their Master, “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.” Desperate to know the veracity of this claim, Peter steps out of the boat and begins walking toward the figure. Step after step, he experiences the awesome power of God. But not until he begins to sink, and Christ reaches out and saves him, does Peter experience deeply the power and love of the Master. With a strong arm, Jesus pulls Peter up and gently rebukes him, “…Wherefore didst thou doubt?”
Often, life’s storms spring up unexpectedly, sometimes just after we have seen God’s mighty working. As we struggle with our particular storms, our Father comes to us, bidding us to be of good cheer, to take comfort. He is with us: there is no need to fear. And so, we rise and walk with him: oblivious to the wild wind, the turbulent waves – knowing only the joy and security of the presence of our Father. But then, too soon, we are distracted by the wind, the waves. We realize how small we are. How weak we are. How absolutely out of control we are. And we begin to sink into worry, doubt, fear, depression.
Friend, don’t let those waters envelop you. Don’t keep struggling on your own. Cry out to9 the One Who brought you here to this storm. In Psalm 34, we find these beautiful promises. “The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. . . . The righteous cry and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart. . . “(Ps. 34:15, 17-18a). When you cry out, “Lord, save me,” as you sink, He is faithfully there. Then walk with Him, hand in hand, in constant dependence on Him, His strength, His power. Day by day, moment by moment, confess your need, cast your burdens on Him. He never tires of hearing our fears, our weaknesses, our need of Him. Nothing is too much for Him.
I don’t know where you are today. You may be on the mountain side, seeing God’s awesome works in others’ lives. Don’t fear the coming storms. God has a plan for you and will bring you into the storm at the right time and will walk with you through it. Don’t let fear of tomorrow distract you from beholding the power of God today. If you’re walking in the waves in the middle of your storm, conscious only of the Master, keep your eyes on Him and feast on the sweetness and peace as you abide in Him. Maybe you are sinking beneath the waves of fear, discouragement, worry or depression. Cry out to your ever-present Father and then, in ‘trustful weakness,’ rely on Him. Cling close to Him and in a new way experience His power and His gentle, faithful love. No matter where you find yourself, let your words be “But He knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10).
Hope in truth 