God asked me to carry something terrifyingly heavy. In fact, I would need the assistance of flight attendants, trained health care individuals, a whole flight of passengers, and a caring pilot! So much uncertainty rolled into 2+ hours, I immediately wondered why. After all, I was on my way to my hometown for the funeral of my 23-year-old nephew. My brother needed me there. But Flight: AA2605 did not let me down! In fact, that day the Lord showed Himself faithful through so many obstacles that could have been my story.  He arranged the best responses of each one aboard that plane and even an earlier than expected arrival time, and the face of a smiling pilot that brought tears to my eyes. I knew God had written this story. There is another story He wrote for me and YOU: Mark 4:35-41.

Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.”

Mark 4:35, NLT

“Storms!” We never will be fully prepared for what lies around the corner. But our heavenly Father creates opportunities to teach and grow His pupils (those who have trusted in the finish work of Jesus, the Son, on the cross of Calvary for the forgiveness of sin). Jesus is the best example of how to display the Father to a watching world as He lived out the certainty of going to the cross.

Our storms are opportunities for faith to get us over the next hurdle and the next, and as we cross over, we encounter new plateaus of growth. Learning, growing, becoming stronger through trusting, and obeying which in turn allows us to know Him more fully. Jeremiah 29:13 says,

 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

It usually takes a storm before we admit to our own inadequacies and that we need Jesus!  

I am sure the disciples were not thinking they would need Jesus on their little jaunt across the Sea of Galilee. Several of these men were fully experienced fishermen that had grown up on the water. But the storm they experienced was so violent, the waves so high, and the water filling the boat so mindboggling they cried for help! The storms of this life are no match for Jesus. And Jesus never sends us out alone to encounter a storm. He was right there with them. Jesus was sleeping not because of a lack of concern but because of a peaceful spirit that rested in a faithful Father in heaven.

The disciples gave into their fear. They focused on their fear. Focusing on the earthly; the wind and the waves and the boat filling up with water, everything that was happening around them instead of focusing on WHO was with them. Fear drowns Faith! We fear physical, temporal happenings But Jesus wants us to learn something even greater—He can be trusted through the storms of life—We gain spiritually when we have faith over fear!

Our heavenly Father has control over wind, waves, illnesses, and even death! Nothing is out of his control~ Looking to our heavenly Father in faith and trust – Obeying His Word – we will be amazed, just like the disciples were (Matthew 8:27a). He never, insensitively, allows storms. They each have a purpose!

Jesus said, “Let’s go across.”

When our heavenly Father leads us, it is for progress. All of this life is for teaching and discipling misfits for the glory of God! God’s glory is at stake – as we live out the hard in front of a watching world!