Sometimes He sends Us into the Storm

Matthew 14 tells the story of Jesus sending the disciples across the Sea of Galilee without Him. He gave directions, and they obeyed. But when evening came, a storm kicked up. Verse 24 says, "The boat by this time was a long way from land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them."

From inside a boat, wind is your enemy. Wind causes waves. Waves create uncertainty. They push away any security, predictability, or assurance you thought you had. The disciples may have expected smooth sailing, but what they got was a dreadful night of terror, exhaustion, and uncertainty. All because they followed Jesus' instructions.

This is hard for me. I like to picture Jesus calming the storm, not sending me into it. I don't like to face dark nights of uncertainty. I despise being whipped by waves of uncertainty or pitched about by struggle. But as a follower of Jesus, I must recognize that sometimes my Lord leads me into storms rather than out of them. Sometimes He disrupts my smooth-sailing and positions me to face wind and waves.

I'll bet the disciples wondered why Jesus would do this, during their dark night of struggle. As Jesus' most dedicated followers, they had imagined long lives of service, not death by drowning. As the dreadful night tarried, their strength drained and their stress rose. By the time Jesus showed up walking on the water , I'm sure they were completely spent and traumatized.

Jesus could have stepped out onto quiet waters, lapping lazily against a dock. He could have unveiled His dignity and power to His disciples on some sunny day with birds chirping in the background. I'm sure they would have still been amazed.

But when Jesus came defying gravity, unaffected by the stormy gales after their dark night of suffering, the disciples saw Him in a completely new way. They saw Him as their Savior. They clung to His words of comfort like a life ring. They welcomed His presence as their only hope. When the whole ordeal was over, they worshiped Jesus and said for the very first time, "Truly you are the Son of God" (Matt. 14:33).

I'm so thankful for the sunny days of respite that God allows. But I also know there will be dark nights when God leads me back into a storm. These prolonged periods of painful uncertainty aren't meant to terrify me; they are meant to set a backdrop. Against the velvety blackness of the storm, Jesus shines most brightly and His comfort and presence are most dear. In the storm, we see Christ's beauty and experience His satisfying presence in a way that we cannot when the birds are chirping in the background.

It's good to know that Jesus is always with us but it is sometimes difficult to remind ourselves of this when we are in the midst of a life storm. Isaiah 41:10,13 says "Don't panic, I am with you, there's no need to fear for I am your God. I will give you strength. I will help you. I, your God, have a firm grip on you and I am not letting go."