“And He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?’” (Matthew 8:26)
In Matthew 8:23-27 we see Jesus’ power over nature. The Sea of Galilee was not very large and was surrounded by mountains. These mountains could be the source of unexpected storms. These storms could cause the water in the lake to rise into waves several meters high. The disciples had seen Jesus’ power in many ways through the miracles He performed, but they still panicked when a violent storm arose while they were in their boat in the middle of the lake. Does that sound familiar? You believe in the power of Jesus and may have experienced many times what Jesus can do. But, when something happens that turns your life upside down, you panic. Jesus seemed absent to His disciples because He was sleeping. In the same way, He can seem absent in the moments of panic in our lives. Fear can take over our emotions and our minds when we lose control of our lives. Fortunately, Jesus does not reject us. But He did rebuke His disciples: “Why are you afraid when I am with you?” When you feel overwhelmed by fear, it can help to first ask yourself, What am I afraid of and why? Then take that fear to Jesus. With Him you will safely weather life’s storms.
What fear would you like to bring to Jesus today?