Dear Precious Friends,
I am sharing great truth today as the fears and negative news continue to fill and consume our society. As we walk through the uncertainties of life with the Corona Virus and what we are now dealing with we must be reminded of God's truth now more than ever. Yesterday we talked about armoring up each day. I'd like to share a truth from the You Version Daily Bible Study on how we battle when we find ourselves in storms...
When we find ourselves in storms we can’t control, how do we respond with faith? Here are three encouraging truths to remember:
Choose Faith over Fear
“What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”
Matthew 8:27
Think about the disciples hanging out with Jesus on a boat when a life-threatening storm erupts on the water. They’re unprepared to face it and, panicking, realize they might die. The entire time this is happening, Jesus is sleeping peacefully.
Instead of looking at Jesus’ reaction to their situation, the disciples allowed their situation to dictate their reactions.
After begging Jesus to do something, He calms the storm… But not before asking them, “Why are you afraid?”
His gentle rebuke over their lack of faith wasn’t because they didn’t believe Jesus could save them from the storm, but because they struggled to believe He would see them through it.
1. God has power over every storm.
If the wind and waves don’t concern Him, then they shouldn’t frighten you. You might not be able to change your situation, but you can choose to faithfully trust God in the middle of it.
2. Fixing your eyes on Jesus leads to peace.
Are you looking at the size of the storm, or turning towards the One who can calm it? It’s only by focusing on God, who knows every outcome, that you can navigate any situation with His wisdom and peace.
3. Jesus is always in your boat.
It’s easy to focus on your fears when you can’t control your future. But thankfully, Jesus knows your future, and He’s always by your side. And, He calls you to live by faith, not by sight.
Whenever you find yourself overwhelmed by life, you always have two choices: you can focus on your circumstances or fix your eyes on Jesus.
If you choose to look to Jesus above everything else, you will begin to see that the storms you face are not nearly as powerful as the Savior choosing to walk through the storm alongside you.
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I love this paragraph: "His gentle rebuke over their lack of faith wasn’t because they didn’t believe Jesus could save them from the storm, but because they struggled to believe He would see them through it." - How many times are we caught in one of life's many storms and we become anxious, even to the point of outright panic? If you are a child of God, then you must know that wherever you are, Jesus is right there with you - He will see you through your situation. Take a step in faith and step back. Give Him a chance to do things His way. It may not seem to be the way you would have thought it should be, but that's the point. It takes some faith to hand over to Him your life, your plans, your dreams, your desires, your circumstances, your family, your finances, your purpose . .
. Are you willing to risk failure to see His Glory? He WILL lead you through.
He promises.
Rest on God's promises each and every day. Fill your mind with His word, His truth and be a reflection of this!
AMEN!
