Navigating Life’s Storms
There will be many times when we hear bad news, and there will be many storms that make us feel anxious. In every one of these moments Jesus encourages us to come to him. Matthew 14 gives us insight as to what we can expect to see as we go through life and how we can successfully navigate each of those moments.
The chapter begins with Jesus hearing bad news. The disciples of John the Baptist, after hearing of his execution, brought news to Jesus and his disciples about the incident. When Jesus heard of John the Baptist’s death, he chose to withdraw to a desolate place by himself. Even Jesus needed to be alone with his father in prayer. When we hear difficult news, maybe our best next step is simply to find a place to be alone with God and share our grief with him and listen as we wait for his comfort.
We often feel tension in our times of pain and grief. We want and need to be alone, and we want and need people around us who care. Part of walking through grief is navigating when and how we embrace those moments. In chapter 14, the crowds had heard that Jesus had gone to a desolate place, so they followed him. In our times of difficulty and grief, we quickly learn that the world doesn’t stop. Sure, many are attentive to our pain, but soon we realize that work still has to be done and whatever our job or responsibilities are, they follow and eventually find us. Both the work and the people still depend on us.
When the crowds found Jesus, he had compassion on them. Fresh from time alone with God, Jesus saw clearly those in need and was willing and able to help. The disciples thought otherwise. They saw the desolate place, the hoards of people, and limited resources, and they wanted Jesus to dismiss the crowds. But Jesus was about to teach the disciples a lesson about the sufficiency of God’s abundant resources.
You know the story. Thousands of hungry people and only five small loaves and two small fish, yet all were fed by Jesus. Everyone watched in awe as this simple meal for one turned into an all-you-can-eat experience.
Jesus had the disciples punch their time clocks after serving as waiters for the seaside banquet of bread and fish. He knew they needed a break, so he told them to get in the boat and head to the other side of the lake. Jesus dismissed the crowd and once again went to be alone on the mountain with his father.
What happened next is another lesson for us. Jesus prayed after he heard of John the Baptist’s death. Then out of the abundance of God’s compassion expressed through Jesus, he fed the thousands and once again went to be alone with the father. We would do well to follow this rhythm of praying after we experience difficulties to prepare us to be refreshed and used by God to help others. And then to pray again after God has given us the strength for our daily work. Prayer before and after every event of life was modeled by Jesus and may be a hint of what Paul meant when he said to pray without ceasing. There is never a bad time to pray.
There was yet another lesson for the disciples that evening. Even when following Jesus and doing what he tells us to do, we will face another storm. Just hours after being with Jesus on the shore, they suddenly were alone in the middle of a raging storm. In their moment of panic and fear, Jesus once again made his presence known.
As the wind and waves crashed, the disciples saw what they thought to be a ghost walking on the water, and they went from being afraid to being terrified. They began to yell and scream. We don’t actually know what they said. Maybe they were yelling for the ghost to get away from them. Maybe they were screaming for Jesus, hoping he would hear them. Maybe they were yelling prayers at the top of their lungs. Jesus heard their despair and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” You and I know that is easier said than done! In our moments of anxiety, it is hard to be of courage and not stay in our fear. But the message we can remember is that Jesus is always right there.
It is hard to understand the next thing that happened. Peter shouted to Jesus, “if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” I bet that most of us would have been more like the other disciples in the boat who didn’t seem to think exiting the boat in a storm was a bright idea. It seems there was nothing wrong with waiting on Jesus to get to them in the boat. And there is nothing wrong with walking toward Jesus in our storms when he calls us to stormy waters.
Peter stepped out in faith and was doing fine until he began to focus on the storm instead of focusing on the one who calms the storm. I have been there many times. It is hard to not look at the obstacles and difficulties, yet Jesus invites us to look to him. Paul’s instructions seem relevant here:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Jesus was inviting Peter and the disciples to experience this truth that day in the storm. But they could not experience his calm, and neither can we, until we wholeheartedly take ourselves and our concerns to Jesus, even in the middle of them. It is then that Paul said we will have peace that surpasses all understanding and that this peace will guard our hearts and minds in Christ. If we don’t take everything to Jesus in prayer, we cannot experience his peace.
So today, Jesus, we look around and see problems. We have fears, pain, and challenges that are bigger than we are. We feel ourselves waffle between staying put and waiting on you or shouting out to you and running toward you. But in this moment, we cry out to you and ask that you meet us, hear us, and help us. We cannot live this life or face these battles on our own. We choose to take courage in you today and believe that you will meet our every need. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Your Time with God’s Word
Matthew 14:13-36; Philippians 4:6-7 ESV
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