This verse was in my reading for this morning. Although right now I am at a place in life where anxiety is not a big issue, I have lived through years of dealing with anxiety. I can assure you from personal experience....the Lord Jesus Christ supports you, consoles you, brings you joy...even while you are RIGHT IN THE MIDST of a storm. I think so many times we think Jesus should keep us from experiencing any storms, but that is just not how it is. Even His own disciples went through a horrible storm (literally) in a small boat with Jesus sleeping on board. They were anxious. He was not. Jesus can stop the storms. He can still the crashing waves. And sometimes He does that. Other times He just holds us close because we are afraid...but He isn't. He is in control.
The key is to have that relationship with Jesus. In order for us to call out to Him, we have to know who He is. We can say to others around us, "I'm scared. I'm falling!". We can speak that inwardly to ourselves. It isn't the same as looking to Jesus and saying , "Jesus , catch me!" and KNOWING that He heard you because you know Him and He knows you.
When Peter walked on the water to Jesus he kept his eyes on his Lord. When he looked around him at his circumstances, the waves of the ocean and did not focus on who was in power (Jesus) he started to sink. But when he realized his mistake and refocused on Jesus, crying out, Lord, save me! Jesus reached out His hand and pulled Peter up. Peter was still out in the middle of the ocean, walking on the water, in the midst of giant waves, surviving the impossible...he wasn't instantly transported back to the boat. But he was saved...by the touch of Jesus' hand.
How little faith was have! How spoiled we are! We want to live life with no storms, with steady ground, with no troubles. How will we see and experience the amazing power and love of our God for us if we never have the opportunities to cry out to Him, to feel Him lift us up and hold our hands, to watch Him as He walks with us through the valleys and feel that indescribable peace. Everyone experiences trials on this earth, Christian, non-Christian, rich, poor, children, adults, powerful, unknown...there is no escaping the trials.
But to know that the Creator of the Universe out of His grace, His inexplicable love for us came to save us by dying for us, sacrificing for us, paying the debt for our sins so that we could live forever in eternity with Him in heaven where there is no evil, no trial, no tears, no sorrow....to KNOW that Jesus...it makes walking through the storms of this life, which can be overwhelming, an experience of joy and peace.
Praises be to Him who sits on the throne and who walks beside us daily!
Hi Pam! I am coming over from Kristi's blog.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post! And I just love that photo you put on the post, I could meditate on that alone. I did a post on Peter in the boat, please come on over some time, maybe you'd like it.
I know my faith is not what it could be, but Jesus will still walk with me, and make it stronger!
Nice to meet you today!
Ceil