Two weeks ago, our article, “Do You Have Enough Faith to Weather Life’s Storms?” touched on how Jesus used a storm to build the disciple’s faith. This week we will look at five important faith lessons from this story in Matthew 14:22-36.
Jesus has just fed the 5,000 (actually 10,000 or more, counting women and children) with five loaves and two fish. By the time they were done, it was evening. So Jesus dismissed the crowd and directed the disciples to get in their boat and sail across the lake while he went up on a mountain by Himself to pray.
When Jesus finished praying, he started walking across the Sea of Galilee to catch up with the disciples in the boat. They were some distance from shore but not making much progress because heavy winds were blowing against them. The disciples see Jesus and are afraid, thinking He is a ghost, but Jesus reassures them and tells them not to be frightened.
Faith Lesson #1
There will be storms in our lives. Christians sometimes believe that by being obedient to God, the rest of life will be smooth sailing. But that is simply not the case! Did Jesus know there would be a storm on the lake when he sent the disciples out? Most certainly! In some cases, Jesus sends us into a storm, but we are safer in a storm doing His will than anywhere else!
Faith Lesson #2
Jesus knows our innermost thoughts and will comfort us in our moment of need. As Jesus approached the disciples, He knew they were terrified, so He encouraged them, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid” (v. 27).
Faith Lesson #3
Jesus is with us in the midst of the storm. Sometimes as we’re in the midst of a storm, we think we’re in it alone. The disciples thought they were facing the storm alone. They didn’t recognize Jesus because they weren’t looking for him. Jesus knew there was a storm and that the disciples were afraid, so he came to them to comfort and encourage them.
Faith Lesson #4
Storms are an opportunity for spiritual growth. Peter bravely asks Jesus to walk on water with Him. Peter hops out of the boat full of confidence, but as he nears Jesus, fear overcomes him, and he begins to sink. Peter is really frightened now, so he cries out to Jesus to save him. Peter’s confidence had been replaced by fear, but Peter knew he would be saved when he called out to Jesus. I wonder what the disciples who witnessed this from the boat must have thought!
Faith Lesson #5
Jesus will see us through the storm. Jesus reached out to grab Peter, and together they walked the rest of the way to the boat. As soon as they got into the boat, the storm died down. The disciples recognized the miracle that had occurred right before their eyes, and they worshiped Jesus as the Son of God (v. 32).
Application
We will face all kinds of storms in our lives. Being a Christian does not mean the rest of our lives will be smooth sailing. However, the storms that will inevitably come into our lives are an opportunity to grow in our faith. Remember, Jesus knows our innermost thoughts and is always there to comfort and encourage us. He is always with us, no matter what kind of storm we face. We need to be brave, like Peter, with the confidence to leave the boat’s safety and trust Jesus, knowing that He will lead us through the storm.
Join the Conversation
As always, questions and comments are welcome. Have you faced a storm in your life that caused you to become fearful? Maybe even doubt your faith in Jesus? Did you grow in faith as a result of surviving the storm?
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Category: Personal Development | Dependence on God
My wife and I have triplets. This turned out to be a great blessing, but initially it was a storm. We had just moved a business during the “Great Recession” and didn’t know how we would makes ends meet, let alone all the potential health complications of such a pregnancy. But God saw us through. My wife recently chronicled this journey at her blog tawndaandrews.com if you are interested to know more details. Thanks for a great post!
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