Faithful Paradox

I love God’s word because it shows us the failures of God’s people. It does not give examples of those who had perfect faith (were there such a thing) or even whitewash the sins of those it highlights. Rather, it gives a very real picture of both the brokenness of man and the grace of God.

The phrase “do not fear” is the most repeated command in Scripture. It is an instruction given to God’s people many times over. Why then, if we are told not to fear, is this such a difficult command to obey?

In part, it has to be that in many ways, fear lies to us in the midst of the storms of life. It deceives us into believing it has power it does not possess. Fear also exposes a misplaced focus on circumstances rather than on the promises of God.

As I battle fear in my own life, I am encouraged to realize that even Jesus’ disciples battled fear. It reminds me that this walk of faith is a process. The longer we practice faith, the more we grow; often through our own failings and the steadfast patience of God.

Considering fear, the Gospel according to Luke tells us “One day, [Jesus] got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side of the lake.’ So they set out and as they sailed, he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake and they were filling with water and were in danger” (Luke 8:22-23).

They woke Jesus, ” Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Peace, be still!’ And the wind ceased and there was a great calm” (Mark 4:38-39).

“He said to them, ‘Where is your faith?’ And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, ‘Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?’” (Luke 8:25).

Considering this passage, there are four lies fear whispers in the midst of the storm:

Lie #1: Jesus is indifferent to our suffering.

“Do you not care that we are perishing?” (v 38). I have asked this question in various forms during storms in my life. Don’t you care, Jesus, that this is happening? If you cared, wouldn’t you calm the storm? Don’t you care that I am about to drown? Where is your concern? Where is your comfort? Where is your care?

By the time Jesus led the disciples into this storm, they had already seen him heal a man with an unclean spirit, preach of the coming kingdom, cleanse lepers, heal a paralyzed man, among other miracles (Mark 1-4). They had seen his power, his care, and compassion. They had seen a glimpse of who he truly was, yet their immediate response in the midst of fear: “Don’t you care?”

I have seen the faithfulness of God throughout my life, yet I still struggle with this lie. I have experienced his goodness and kindness, yet when suffering arises it’s easy to assume Jesus is indifferent to my pain. As I battle this lie, it’s important to recognize Jesus both led his disciples into the storm, yet as he led them, he was with them. The storm was no accident and his presence with them was intentional as well.

When fear arises, when anxieties ensue, it’s easy to question like the disciples, “Don’t you care?” The fact that Jesus is near and “a very present help in trouble” shows just the opposite: he cares deeply and because he cares, he leads us into the storm (Psalm 46:1).

Lie #2: The storm is the problem.

Often teachings around this text say Jesus wants to calm the storms in our lives. Jesus wants to bring peace in the midst of the raging sea. While some of these things can be true at times, if that is the take-away, much has been missed.

Jesus not only rebuked the wind and the storm, he also rebuked the disciples for their fear and faithlessness. “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” (Mark 4:40).

When storms come, it can feel difficult to direct our gaze at anything other than the storm. It’s real, painful, and terrifying. They can feel all consuming. It’s easy to believe the storm is the biggest issue; believing the care of Jesus is seen through his causing the storm to cease.

What we see in Scripture, however, is that the storm was the catalyst that exposed the real issue: unbelief. The storm revealed the disciples were more confident in the power of the storm than they were sure of Jesus’ control and authority in the midst of the storm.

I can’t help but wonder if the disciples had paused to consider that Jesus was asleep in the boat if it would have changed their sense of fear and urgency? He was at perfect peace. The storm was not the problem; their misplaced focus and confidence were.

When fears arise in our lives, they expose false beliefs and misplaced trust. The storms are there to help us grow in faith and understanding of Christ. Faith comes, not by studying the storm or understanding its power and the threats that come with it, rather, “we can only conquer our doubts by looking steadily at Him” (Martin Lloyd Jones).

Lie #3: The storm is to be feared.

I have been conditioned to believe that the storms of life are bad and calm is good. If I’m honest, I love comfort and ease. I love the illusion of control; the belief that with the right behaviors, I can direct the outcomes of my life. In addition, I am still recovering from bitter pain and disappointment. These days my heart wonders when the next storm will arrive and what pain it will bring. Even in this, the truth is exposed; like the disciples, I am looking at the storm and fearing it rather than gazing on Christ and his peace in the midst of the storm.

God can only give good gifts. The reality is, there are many times God’s good gifts can feel painful as the sanctification process cuts away and refines. God will often give the gift of learning patience, rather than imparting patience to his children. He will give the gift of humiliation, at times, to teach humility. He will give the gift of persistent weakness and difficulty that breaks the cycle of self reliance and pride.

In the midst of the storm, he gave the disciples a terrifying experience and what seemed to be real danger to expose misdirected hope and belief. The storm was not actually to be feared. The disciples were rebuked because the storm terrified them.

As difficult as it is to believe, the truth is that often storms that arise in our lives feel terrifying because they reveal misplaced hope and belief. The disciples were looking at their understanding of the storm, yet they had the Creator of the Storm asleep in the boat with them. Fear in the storm was the tool Jesus used to expose the deeper issue: their lack of rightly placed faith.

Lie #4: We are in danger.

Jesus’ rebuke of his disciples has always been hard for me. The passage says they were in real danger. It was not some imagined danger or overreaction to their circumstances. These were seasoned fishermen who knew the waters. They knew when to sail and when to stay ashore. They knew when storms came in. They were professionals who understood the power of the sea. In this moment, their boat was filling. As they understood things, there was real danger. Yet Jesus rebuked them for their fear and lack of faith.

The raging storm was absolutely a threat to their bodily safety. Yet no matter what their bodies faced, because they were with Christ, they were secure.

This is a lesson I have had to learn many times over; God’s promises are always true for my soul. Scripture promises that every word of God is true for my soul. There is literally nothing that can rip my soul from God’s hands. My body may be ravaged, my body may be in danger, my body will die – but my soul can never be in danger.

Jesus led the disciples into the storm, in part, to reveal their misplaced hope and trust. He used the storm to show them his power. He used the storm to reveal their pride and self reliance. He used the storm to remind them that they were never really in danger, despite the fear that told them otherwise.

Like the disciples we are often conditioned to listen to the lies fear tells us in the midst of the storm. Jesus is asleep and indifferent to our suffering. The storms that come are the real issue. The storms are to be feared because they present danger. The reality is that Jesus often leads us into the storms to reveal the truth of who he is. He is present, near, and in control. He is purposeful and intentional. Jesus reminds us there is no storm that needs to be feared because he has promised he will never forsake our souls; we are his.

These are all easy things to think through, yet despite knowing these truths, I still battle fear. I still struggle to rest in the care of Jesus. I still fight against the dread that arises as I consider what sorrows await me. The journey from head knowledge to heart acceptance is long and difficult.

I am encouraged, however, as I remember that even those who were with Jesus still battled fear. Even his closest circle of followers had to be reminded there was a better way; a more faithful way. These followers didn’t have to be told just once, rather, they had to learn the same lessons many times over. It’s a kindness of God to give us examples of imperfect faith. When the storms of life expose misplaced faith and fear arises, encouragement can be found when, with each passing storm, we marvel a bit more at the power and authority of Christ.