Confident in Jesus and at Peace in the Storm

Read |Mark 4:35 - 41|

Scott Wesley Brown (2003) captures the essence of confidence in our Jesus, who sleeps in the midst of storms, when he sings:

There is no problem too big, God cannot solve it,
There is no mountain too tall, God cannot move it,
There is no storm too dark, God cannot calm it,
There is no sorrow too deep, He cannot soothe it.

Oh, if He carried the weight of the world upon His shoulders,
I know my brother that He will carry you,
Oh, if He carried the weight of the world upon His shoulders,
I know my sister that He will carry you.

He said, "Come on to me all who are weary
And I will give you rest, rest, rest, rest.”

Jesus’ love has a way of calming our biggest storms and giving us the assurance that everything will be well. No matter the nature of the storm-whether the tumult of tangible and worldly circumstances on the outside or the dark travail of the soul-Jesus’ love renders Him everything but impotent.  Instead, we find that Jesus speaks to the storm and takes charge of what threatens to overwhelm us. We see that Jesus is able to care for us and, in turn, grant our weary souls rest, rest, rest. 

I have encountered many storms in my life and it was only when I exercised my faith in God that I found peace. To exercise faith in God is to rely on Him-His person, character and Word. An act of faith requires a shift from self-reliance to God reliance. The shift happens when we honor God for who He is-set apart and exalted above every thing on high and below. The shift from self-reliance to God reliance is expressed in our release of worry, doubt, anxiety, past hurts, present demands and the unknown future. It is expressed in our surrender, which He always blesses with His peace.

Some years ago, I experienced great fear as I prepared to undergo a medical procedure. The fear had so impacted me that I had lost my appetite and seen a reduction in my blood count.  The effect of the fear on my body had actually made the procedure risker, necessitating a donation of blood for its success. One day while at work, and bearing the load of the unknown future, one of my students asked, “What is wrong with you?” At the confession of my fear, I was greeted with a most unexpected response: “Good” he said. “For in your weakness that’s when you are strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-11). 

I recognized the voice of God speaking through this child and I listened. I got up, went to the store, purchased quality food to support an increase in my blood count, chose to rise above my feelings and eat, and when I returned for the medical procedure my blood count was good! God has a way of speaking to us in the midst of our storms and if we will listen and obey we will find ourselves helped and at peace.

Many times we allow the storms in our life to consume us and we become mentally disturbed emotionally incapacitated and physically derailed. The water rushes over the boundaries of our ships (our lives) and we panic. We worry that we will drown. We worry that we will be destroyed. We wonder, “Does He care?” But we would be helped, in moments like these, to exercise our faith in God. We would be helped to assume the posture He demonstrates-a posture of rest. We would be helped to shift from self-reliance to God-reliance. 

He is sleeping in the midst of the storm because He is confident. He is confident He is God. He is confident that at His Word the wind will cease and the waves will be calm. He knows that His determination that we cross over to the other side cannot be successfully opposed. He knows what we are invited to trust-He is good and mighty to save His faithful ones. He invites us to cease our striving and to enter the gift of mental, emotional and physical rest He gives His beloved. 

Be encouraged in your soul as you sing the song that opens this week's devotional. We thank Lynda Randle for being used of God in its singing:

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Go Deeper

As Be-Held Women we believe that true self-care is accomplished in a lifestyle of intimacy with Jesus Christ. We take care by drawing near to God through seeking and living the truth of God’s Word, by the power of His indwelling Holy Spirit. We are confident that in living the truth by His Holy Spirit we will be transformed into women who bear the image of Jesus Christ in spirit, soul and body-women who are empowered to bless many.  Dear Be-Held Woman, seeking, living and being transformed by the truth of God's Word, we offer you this Bible study guide to support you in your endeavors! Apply it to this week's Scripture readings.

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