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It was a very dark time in my life. Betrayal by some I considered friends. Lies about me to gain personal advantage. Attempts to ruin my reputation. Incredible loneliness, even when surrounded by those who loved me. Depression an ever-present companion. The days were terrible, the nights worse.
Ever been there? I pray you haven't but likely you have. Quite possibly, it won't be the last time. To avoid it all, we would have to seal ourselves off from humanity. And yet, we're to "love one another". Loving requires interaction, often with those who aren't so loveable.
A decision must be made---do we try to protect ourselves or trust God to protect us? Often the decision is not easy. Doubt creeps in. Questions rise. We forget that Jesus is with us and He's been through it all. When I'm in such dark times, two passages especially help. Maybe they'll help you.
In the first, Jesus has decided to cross the Sea of Galilee. The disciples follow close behind. After setting sail, He falls asleep. Then suddenly a fierce storm arises. Waves crash over the boat. The disciples panic. "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!" But Jesus is calm.
You of little faith, why are you so afraid? Where is your faith? He rebukes the wind and the raging sea. The storm disappears, and all is completely calm. But the men are frightened and amazed. "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!" (see Matthew 8:18-27, Luke 8:22-25)
Jesus' words don't appear encouraging. The disciples had had followed Him across a land barren of faith. They had seen the miracles. Yet in the midst of the storm, they found their own faith weak. Fear darkened their understanding and drove them to desperation. Their foolish hearts rebelled against what they knew to be true. Tossed about in a raging sea, they believed they were doomed.
But Jesus wasn't scolding the disciples. He wanted them to understand the importance of faith. And He wanted them to discover who He is. There's another passage that speaks of this.
They wandered in the wilderness...sat in darkness, in the shadow of death...became fools in their rebellious ways...went to sea in a ship...Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress. He calmed the storm and silenced the waves.
What is faith? Will it bring us a life of no troubles or worries? No. Faith is our connection with God---a certainty and assurance---not in what may happen in the chapters of our lives, but in the final outcome of our story. Ultimately faith is that deep trust which allows us to release control to the One who has loved us since the beginning of time.
And who is Jesus? Remember the passage? They cried out in their distress to the Lord. The passage describes the events on the Sea of Galilee, as well as all the dark times we experience. You and I can cry out to the Lord and we will be heard. He will bring us out of our distress. We can have faith in the Lord---we can trust Him with our lives. Jesus is Lord!
Need more? Our Lord wanted so much for us to understand the importance of faith and discover who He is that He moved David, King of Israel, to write that message---Psalm 107---centuries before He set sail on the Sea of Galilee.
Where is my faith?
The longer I live, the more storms I see.
But we sail through them all, the Lord and me.
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