He Is Able

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves,
“Quiet! Be still!”
Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
Mark 4:39

Jesus chose to calm the storm that day. He chose to make the wind die down and the waves to be still.

But He doesn’t always choose to calm the storm.

And sometimes even when He calms it, He doesn’t do it on our time table. Sometimes instead of calming the storm…He calms the believer in the midst of it.

Ever found yourself in the eye of the storm…..peaceful and calm…while the storm rages all around?  That kind of peace – the kind that “transcends all understanding” (Philippians 4:6-7), surely could only come from Jesus.

Storms of life are faith testers…faith purifiers…faith provers…our faith is proved REAL in the storms we face.  Every mature believer looks back to a specific circumstance and testifies, “I don’t ever want to go through it again, but I’m so grateful for the truth I learned in it.” There are some lessons that can only be learned through struggles and challenges.

Those times are times we know Christianity is not just a club we’ve joined, but a relationship with a real person: The creator of the universe.  The one who loves us completely…unconditionally….who cares deeply…and has the power to calm any storm.

The crisis of faith comes for each of us when we realize God can…but chooses not to.  It is within His power to act, but He refrains.

Our response in that crisis of faith is to choose faith.  To trust God.  To believe He is ever faithful.  That He has eternal purposes for all He causes or allows that transcend my limited, finite, human understanding.  God is for me. God has not forgotten me.  God loves me – these are the anchors we cling to in the midst of the storm.

I know God can.  I will trust Him even when He chooses not to.

I know God is able.  He has eternal purposes for all He does.  He is God.  I am not.

What storm is testing and stretching and proving your faith today?  Rest well in the midst of it – He is able. He may calm the storm.  He may calm you in the midst of it.  But, either way:  He is able.

{ If you are studying through Mark with us, please read Mark 4:35-5:20 this week.  Here is the recorded teaching lecture on this passage: http://fbcsiloam.podbean.com/2013/10/28/ladies-bible-study-mark-lesson-9-laura-macfarlan-10-24-13/ }