Calm in the Storm

Last year, Hurricane Maria battered Puerto Rico with an unforgiving vengeance.  This storm caused so much destruction, and many people lost their belongings, homes, and livelihood.  I saw image after image of places dear to my heart that were almost unrecognizable.  My family was without power for many months, and resources were scarce.  The island is starting to bounce back from this terrible storm, but they still have a long way to go.  I remember being so scared for my family living there, knowing the coming storm would likely cause damage and destruction.

The storms of life have battered my soul, and life has never been the same.  Life came in like a hurricane, tearing apart things near and dear.  It's hard to bounce back from storms like that, and even harder to remain calm through it all.

Lately, many of the devotionals, verses, and songs I've meditated on have 1 common thread among them:  staying calm in the middle of the storm.  It sounds good in theory, but it is so hard in practice.  I get caught up in what I see and have a hard time looking beyond my circumstances.

In Matthew 8:23-27, Jesus and the disciples are traveling via boat when they encountered a terrible storm.  The disciples were absolutely terrified.  Where was Jesus in the midst of it all?  Sleeping.  The disciples frantically woke him up, begging him to save them...they thought they were going to drown and die.

Jesus responded:

"Why are you afraid?  You have so little faith!"

He then calmed the storm.

Something sticks out to me about this whole scenario.  The disciples didn't believe Jesus wouldn't do anything.  In fact, they ran to the One who could, begging Jesus to please save them.  They KNEW Jesus could take them out of this terrible situation in the midst of imminent danger.

I believe the rebuke came because they were afraid.  They were frantic.  Even with the knowledge that Jesus would save them, they were still consumed with fear, quite possibly because they knew what a storm like this was capable of.  Fear was costing them their peace.  While they believed God would save them, maybe they had little faith that He would truly work it all for good, no matter the means that He chose to save them.  The fear was fear of suffering...they were counting the cost.

I can certainly relate to this.  The past few years, I have chosen to run to Jesus, knowing He could (and would) calm the storm battering my life.  Even so, I was afraid.  God has come through, but it has been in ways I never anticipated, ways I probably wouldn't have chosen.  Fear and lack of faith has cost me my peace, my joy, even my health at times.

Jesus was a glowing example of what we should look like in the storm.  Calm, peaceful, choosing not to focus on the circumstances. I yearn to have this type of quiet faith.  Does this mean that if I have faith, everything will be exactly as I hoped and want?  Nope.  It does mean that no matter what happens, no matter how much damage a storm may cause, I can have peace.  I can choose to see the storm as an opportunity for growth, a chance for God to show me just how faithful He is.
  Jesus has continued to calm the storms in my life, often with the reminder that I don't need to be afraid.

He is there.  Sometimes sleeping, but never unaware and always in control, offering me a peace that surpasses all understanding.