Sleeping in the Storm

And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"

Mark 4:37–38 (NKJV)

Jesus was asleep while His disciples were in peril. So often things go contrary in our lives, and we wonder why God would permit the windstorm to disturb and threaten us, since we would rather enjoy smooth sailing through life.

"Do You not care that we are perishing?" It offended Peter that Jesus was sleeping while they were fighting for their lives. Was Jesus indifferent to their suffering? Was this the day they would perish, along with Jesus? Obviously not. The question they put to Jesus revealed a deep stronghold in humanity, a deep-seated unbelief toward God that everyone who has ever faced adversity has become aware of: how little we trust Him.

But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?"

Mark 4:40 (NKJV)

In the face of adversity, it does not matter to us that God is there unless He acts; He must always prove Himself to us. Interestingly, Jesus was right there, experiencing everything they were experiencing, and He chose to sleep through the storm. In our eyes, if He does nothing, He does not care; when things go wrong in our lives, He does not care.

It can seem that God does not act in our hour of desperate need, that when we need Him most, He is asleep. Sometimes God's silence and inaction in these moments say more about us than about Him. Nothing moves God but faith; nothing else has that ability. The main issue in the peril they faced at sea was not that Jesus was sleeping. It was the disciples' failure to discern the presence of Jesus with them, and their unbelief in His word and His power.

Many of us think we would have acted differently. We imagine we would have stayed composed, because we know Jesus is near. But the thing about faith is that one has to be persuaded and convinced of the character and integrity of God and His Word. You must believe His word before you see His power.

Think about it, child of God. How many times have you panicked, or been struck with fear, when you faced a challenge or a trial? How many sleepless nights have you spent tossing and turning over something beyond your control? When did you last cast your cares on the Lord, or sleep peacefully through the worst season of your life? These things reveal how much you trust, or distrust, God.

Having the presence of God in your life is not enough. You need to have faith in Him, and to trust that He will never fail you, no matter what. I am writing this because I know that many things are going wrong in the world today, perhaps even in your own life. Instead of questioning the integrity of God, question your faith in His integrity.

Things are not going to get easier in this world. Life was not designed to be easy, but the power and grace of God will always be sufficient for us to overcome all that the seas of life throw at us. Build your faith; feed on the Word and the promises of God. Build your life on Christ, the solid foundation, so that when the windstorms arise, you too, like your Lord, can sleep through them.