Matthew 8:25-26
And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

Perhaps the disciples felt a little bit foolish after this experience. They had gotten all worked up and started panicking, fearing for their lives in this storm. Why had they been so fearful? How was their faith so small? Perhaps we can relate to them, because sometimes our faith is small. Perhaps sometimes we are fearful even though Jesus is with us and His power rests upon us. Maybe a storm rises and we become afraid. Maybe the thought of dying terrifies us. Maybe the force of the winds and the waves just seems too overpowering and our smallness is magnified and for a moment we panic.

But there is some comfort here for those of us prone to fear and small of faith, because despite the disciples’ fear and their doubt and their panic, Jesus still rose up and met their need. He answered their request with great power and such completeness that only a great calm was left. And when we look around and see the sea so still and smooth without the slightest breeze to conjure up a ripple, what happens? Doesn’t our faith grow? Don’t we learn to trust Him more? Can’t we learn to rely on Him in similar situations that come along down the road?

And from now on, perhaps we bring our requests to Him with a little less fear and a little more faith. Perhaps now that we’ve come through that storm unscathed, we can rest a little easier in the next one. Perhaps peace can grow in a troubled heart out of a place where fear once raged. Maybe we will finally realize that we are safe in the grips of His strong hands, that there is nothing too powerful for Him, that He cares so strongly for us and doesn’t want us to be afraid.

Let’s remember that it is this same Jesus who went boldly to Jerusalem and endured the torture of His crucifixion, descended into hell, and rose victorious from the grave who resides with us in our little boat. The one who created the sea and set the first breeze in motion stands beside us. Perhaps we’re stung by His rebuke, but let’s use these kinds of experiences to grow. In whatever kinds of storms we face, let’s give our fear to Jesus. Let’s just let go of everything else and simply trust Him, lean on Him, rely on Him, and rest in Him.