"And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.
And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man of this! for he commandeth even the winds and the water, and they obey him."
Luke 8:24-25
I think this is instructive about the faith that we can have in our lives. I'm not saying that the disciples were histrionic. I am certain that they felt they were in danger. Christ solves the problem and asks them where their faith is, not I think because they turned to him or because they should have calmed the sea themselves, but perhaps because they should have known that they would be okay.
I think that this is similar to our lives in that we also find ourselves in situations where we feel doomed or out of control. Turning to God is never a bad thing to do in these circumstances. But perhaps, if we had a little more faith, we could learn to panic less. :) There are often solutions that we don't see because we are so wrapped up in worry. Sometimes the very thing that we are worried about is the blessing that God has waiting for us. I know in my life I have been so worried about holding on to certain jobs or places to live or certain people that I couldn't see past the worry to the possibilities. And when we get past the drama, we once again can see that our happiness isn't wrapped up in those particular packages... it is always wrapped up in God, and our relationship with him. We can have faith that God will take care of the things that we can't control. That he knows what he is doing, and that no matter what changes happen in our lives, they will *always* work for our good. ... It doesn't always seem like that when we are there. It seems like loss and pain and facing the unknown. But, with God, the emptiness of loss can be filled, the pain can be relieved, and the unknown is never horrible. As we stick with God, we are *guaranteed* a happy ending, even in the middle of the worst chapters.
Today, let's believe that God can calm the storms of our lives, no matter how threatening. Let's remember that change can be positive. Let's let go of our tendency to freak out about our fears, and let's find some faith and know that God will handle everything we can't. Let's trust him, and let that faith calm the inner storm as well.
And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man of this! for he commandeth even the winds and the water, and they obey him."
Luke 8:24-25
I think this is instructive about the faith that we can have in our lives. I'm not saying that the disciples were histrionic. I am certain that they felt they were in danger. Christ solves the problem and asks them where their faith is, not I think because they turned to him or because they should have calmed the sea themselves, but perhaps because they should have known that they would be okay.
I think that this is similar to our lives in that we also find ourselves in situations where we feel doomed or out of control. Turning to God is never a bad thing to do in these circumstances. But perhaps, if we had a little more faith, we could learn to panic less. :) There are often solutions that we don't see because we are so wrapped up in worry. Sometimes the very thing that we are worried about is the blessing that God has waiting for us. I know in my life I have been so worried about holding on to certain jobs or places to live or certain people that I couldn't see past the worry to the possibilities. And when we get past the drama, we once again can see that our happiness isn't wrapped up in those particular packages... it is always wrapped up in God, and our relationship with him. We can have faith that God will take care of the things that we can't control. That he knows what he is doing, and that no matter what changes happen in our lives, they will *always* work for our good. ... It doesn't always seem like that when we are there. It seems like loss and pain and facing the unknown. But, with God, the emptiness of loss can be filled, the pain can be relieved, and the unknown is never horrible. As we stick with God, we are *guaranteed* a happy ending, even in the middle of the worst chapters.
Today, let's believe that God can calm the storms of our lives, no matter how threatening. Let's remember that change can be positive. Let's let go of our tendency to freak out about our fears, and let's find some faith and know that God will handle everything we can't. Let's trust him, and let that faith calm the inner storm as well.
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