Through the Storms of Life

In the Gospel according to Matthew, there is an amazing story of the disciples in a storm. They see Jesus coming to them, but do not recognize his coming. Peter asks Jesus (if he is Jesus) to call him to come through the storm to him.

It is a familiar story to many of us, but as I heard proclaimed it this weekend I was intrigued by how similar it sounded in the storms of my own life and the lives of others that I encounter.

Like the disciples, so often in the intense storms of our lives we feel fightened and vulnerable, alone and insecure. There may be others around us, but they just can’t touch the depths of fear and anxiety we feel. Even our prayer is often a plea to be rescued to ‘get out of here’.

It is difficult to keep focused in the storms. We often have more questions than any kind of answers. How can we learn to truly trust God is present to us within the storm?
This is such a step of faith. God comes to us, is with us through the waves of fear and anxiety. Like the story in Matthew, God calls us to ‘come to me’—focus on my presence and not the overwhelming waves.

In all the storms we have work to do. We have to deal with all the pieces that get stirred up because of the storm. But there is more to it – God is there with us and within us as we keep walking.

It is in the still small voice within us as we go through chemo that says ‘I can do this.’ Or, the people who have been fired from their work who come to understand that they have more to do in this world if they will just give themselves time and space to explore that. Or the parents of a premature child knowing that there are surgeries their child will have to undergo and knowing they love this child so much that they will go through anything to give him/her life.

Sometimes the storms are so blinding that it is hard to see the face of God. Yet God comes to us in and through the storms. It is truly a journey of faith walked in hope and through a love that will not let us drown.