Worry is something that is a part of our lives. It can be really easy to be fearful if we dwell on the things around us. But peace is possible! 

Today we’re talking about Peace. We are going to look at the story of Jesus calming the storm and see that even in the storm, God is with us.

Jesus Calms the Storm

Mark 4:35-41
35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

The Waves Were Out of the Disciples Control

The waves were out of the control of any of the disciples in the boat; they were just along for the ride.

They could do everything possible to try and stay afloat, but the waves were out of their control.

There are things in your life right now that are out of control. You’re like the disciples and doing everything possible to stay afloat.

What I want to suggest to you is that worrying doesn’t help anything.

Worrying can seem like the mature thing to do. Like the saying, “Moms are supposed to worry.”

Worrying can make us feel like we’re doing something useful when really, it’s not helpful to us at all.

The Waves Were In Jesus’s Control

With three words, Jesus showed that He was in control of the waves.

He didn’t have to use words. He’s all-powerful. He used words to build the faith of the disciples.

Could Jesus have stopped the wind and waves right away? Or maybe even told the wind and waves to be still so they could have a peaceful trip?

Of course!

Then why didn’t He?

Some people believe that when you become a Christian, then every day is happy and filled with roses, and nothing bad ever happens again.

But that’s not true.

The disciples didn’t experience the storm because they were out of God’s will. They were doing what Jesus wanted them to do and was right there with them.

Because you are experiencing wind and rain right now doesn’t mean you have done something wrong.

Things may be out of our control, but they are not out of God’s control. 

Jesus Expected the Disciples to Have Peace

It was Jesus’ idea to go over my boat to the other side.

God allows circumstances in our lives to be out of our control to show us our need for Him.

Sometimes when you’re going through a struggle, people will say, “God won’t give you more than you can handle.”

While people who say this mean well, it’s not Scriptural in regards to crisis and struggle. That verse is actually talking about temptation.

The truth is that God gives us more than we can handle all the time.

That may not sound like an encouraging word, but it’s true. 

The apostle Paul talks about this in 2 Corinthians, chapter 1, “We do not want you to be uninformed about the troubles we experienced. We were under great pressure, FAR BEYOND OUR ABILITY TO ENDURE, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On Him, we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us.”

Paul said that he was under great pressure, far beyond what he was able to endure. God gives us more than we can handle so that there’s no choice but to rely on Him.

The opposite of worry is relying on Him. The opposite of fear is relying on God.

In 1 John 4:18, it says that, “…perfect love casts out fear.” 

What is “perfect love”?

It is the gospel of Christ. The perfect love He had for us to die on the cross for us.

And your faith in His perfect love is what will cast out your fear.

If you are struggling with fear, rely on His perfect love. 

God wants us to live lives of peace. The Bible says that Jesus came to give Peace, and it goes beyond our understanding. It is peace, no matter what is happening. 

 I pray that you would have peace in your heart today.

If you are struggling with fear and would like to study more about what the scripture says, check out this Bible Study called Fear Not. 

There are many more Bible Studies and resources in our Thrive Bible Study Vault.