Sometimes, amid the storms of life, it feels as though we are not going to make it through. But it’s in these moments that we do well to remember the powerful exchange between Jesus and the disciples.
Before there was a visible storm, Jesus said, “Let us go cross to the other side” (Mark 4:35). Shortly after, the wind and rain began to rage, and the disciples cried out for Jesus, who was sleeping on the boat, to arise and save them. Jesus calmed the sea.
At another time, the disciples had gone before the Lord and encountered another storm. The boat was “in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was turbulent” (Matt. 14:24b). This time, the disciples saw a man walking on the sea, and they cried out in fear. They thought they saw a spirit; they didn’t recognize Jesus.
Some storms come to reveal another dimension of Christ, and if we are not sensitive to His Spirit, we will miss an opportunity. An opportunity came in the midst of adversity when everyone else was scared. Jesus never called Peter to walk on the water. Instead, Peter said, “Lord, if it is You, bid me come to You on the water” (Matt. 14:28b). Peter seized the moment.
Have you ever looked at a person, wondering why something happened to them and not you? Peter’s response set him apart from the other disciples, and he made history that day. They all had the same opportunity, but Peter seized the moment.
What is God trying to get you through? What has caused you to feel too overwhelmed to accomplish? Where do you feel forsaken?
During that first storm, Jesus came to their rescue, but He was disappointed. He was disappointed because His disciples had forgotten the miracles they watched Him perform. This storm followed Jesus preventing the crowds of people from fainting by feeding the multitudes with only two fish and five loaves of bread. He made sure that he had 12 full baskets left. Why?
Why does God want us to remember our last blessings and victories? He wants us to know that if He delivered us out of the last situation that should have made us faint, He is the same God who will deliver us from the storm we are facing now. In the midst of whatever you are facing, God wants you to seize the moment and allow Him to reveal a new dimension of Himself. He wants you to remember the last victory and how He brought you out. God is calling you to cross over to the other side.
For more on how you must cling to God in the middle of the storms, listen to Overcomers on the Charisma Podcast Network. {eoa}
