Peace in a Storm

When you go through one of life’s storms (which come to everyone), it is tempting to think, “I will be so glad when this trial is over and I can go back to normal living and be at peace again.”  That is a wrong attitude.  The gospel gives you something better than that.  You can have peace while the storms of life rage around you!  You can have perfect peace when you are in true faith, even if your body is telling you all kinds of disagreeable things and your doctor has given you a morbid report.

A life-threatening storm raged after Jesus told His disciples, “Let us pass over unto the other side.”  Apparently, Jesus thought that once He had spoken that, it was as good as done, even though a nasty storm came up that filled the boat with water!  The disciples were obviously not as convinced.

Mark 4:35-40:
And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.
And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.
And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

Jesus, after being roused from His nap in the back of the boat, gave stern rebukes to both the weather and the disciples!  It is bad enough to be a “ye of little faith,” but here Jesus said that the disciples had no faith, which is worse!  They had the measure of faith in general like everyone else (Romans 12:3), but they had no faith in Jesus’ words.

Jesus still walked in peace while the disciples were panicking.  Jesus never panicked.  Recall that when a demon was thrashing a boy around, Jesus was having a calm conversation with the boy’s father about how long that had been happening.  We are supposed to follow in Jesus’ footsteps, so it is NEVER right for us to get into panic mode about ANYTHING, no matter how dire or life-threatening it seems to be.

The disciples had their minds on the situation, not on the words that Jesus had spoken.  If you want to stay out of panic mode, you have to force yourself to think about what God has said about your situation, not what anyone else has said, and not what it “looks like.”

If you will do this, you will walk in peace even if the doctors just told you to make arrangements with a funeral home!  Whether you walk in peace or not depends on what you choose to think about.  Most people don’t take responsibility for their thoughts. They think that if a thought pops into their head, there’s not much they can do about it.  But that’s not what the Bible says!

Philippians 4:8:
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

The Bible commands you to think on certain things, so it is definitely your choice what you think about!  You can choose to be full of cares, or you can choose not to carry any cares and walk in peace:

Philippians 4:6-7:
Be careful [full of care] for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

I have had situations where I didn’t know what the source of my next dollar would be.  When I was a younger Christian, I would toss and turn most of the night wrestling with the devil’s question, “What are you going to do?  How will you pay your bills?  How will you avoid losing EVERYTHING?”  When I got to know the Word better, I learned to cast my cares on the Lord (1 Peter 5:7).  I continued to tithe even when it looked like I couldn’t afford to do it, and I just trusted God to continue to honor His Word, which of course, He did.  Any time I would have spent worrying would have been a total waste, as God came though yet again.  Besides, worrying is a SIN because God says not to do it!  Sin is never good for you in general, and it certainly isn’t good for your health.  If you let yourself worry about your health, you’ll just make yourself sicker!

But if you focus on God and His Word, you can have perfect peace in the midst of a trial.  You don’t have to wait until the trial is over.  Jesus gives you peace that is naturally impossible, but you must cooperate by not letting your heart be troubled or afraid:

John 14:27:
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

So don’t accept the devil’s lie that you can only return to the place of peace once all the tough issues in your life are resolved.  Enjoy God’s peace right now, despite the circumstances.  You can do it, just as Jesus did!