We all have them, no one is immune to them, they can turn our day into night, and our nights into months and perhaps years that seem endless and full of darkness.
What are they? Storms that control our thoughts.
Matthew 14:24-27
Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. About three o'clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, waking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, "It's a ghost!" But Jesus spoke to them at once. "Don't be afraid" he said "Take courage, I am here!"
The disciples experienced a storm together, they were all afraid, it was a communal experience. Fear took over their thoughts. Jesus arrived on the scene at three o'clock. This time in the early hours of the morning is when a human being is often at his/her lowest ebb. So the time is significant. The disciples were afraid, fearful, anxious, blind to who their Saviour was. Fear controlled their thoughts.
Matthew 14:28-33
Then Peter called to him, "Lord, if it's really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water." "Yes come," Jesus said.
So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus, But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. "Save me, Lord!" he shouted.
Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. "You have so little faith," Jesus said "Why did you doubt me?"
When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. Then the disciples worshiped him. "You really are the Son of God!" they exclaimed.
You would have thought, that at least one of the disciples would have had the faith that they would be saved from the storm, after just having seen Jesus perform the miracle of feeding the five thousand. But here they all were collectively panicking. Fear is infectious in this case. This is the power of the storms when they control our thoughts. When you don't see your Saviour walking on the water to towards you. You test God by saying "If it's really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water." In other words, show me a miracle, give me the answer now to stop my fear. God allowed Peter to walk on the water, but Peter took his eyes off Jesus and began to sink.
So Peter received his miracle but he didn't stay fixated on Jesus. On the One who could calm the storm in his mind. The rushing of the wind (our fears), the height of the waves (our anxieties), the depth of the sea around us (our worries), the sinking (our doubts).
When the storms control our thoughts and Jesus reaches out his hand to us, let us not be blind to His help, let us not be distracted by the intensity of the elements, but keep fixated upon Him who can save us.
There will always be storms and there will always be an answer. May our eyes be ever vigilant in those storms to see our Saviour reaching out to us.
God bless