John 6:20
But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid.

Life is full of stormy circumstances.  We have days of mighty winds and raging seas.  We have times where we feel like our boat can’t possibly stay afloat, when we feel like we’re drowning, when fear overwhelms us because of the noise and the chaos happening around us.  And in these dark moments, our faith can waver, and we may panic, and we can feel so overwhelmed and hopeless.

But even in those moments, or maybe especially in the those moments, Jesus is very near.  We don’t have to be so afraid.  If we were out there all alone, then certainly we would have every reason to fear.  If we had to depend on our own strength or be pulled into the swirling waves, we would have no hope.  If a situation came upon us and we had to use our own wisdom to find the answer, we would surely be sunk.

But we are not alone.  We don’t have to get through that tough time with our own feeble strength.  We don’t have to come up with a solution on our own.  Because Jesus is with us.  He has come to us in our most desperate state.  He has come to us when all hope was lost.  He has come to us when there was no way out.  And what a difference His presence makes.  He steps into those storms and produces peace.  He speaks, and the wind stops blowing.  He comes beside us and takes away all our fear.

When we are feeling vulnerable, it magnifies everything around us and makes it seem bigger and scarier than it is.  But when we view our circumstances from a different perspective, when we see Jesus out there right beside us, that changes how we view what we’re dealing with.  The creator of those winds is with us in the midst of them.  The one who set the bounds of the sea stands upon them right beside us.  And no matter where we are or what we’re facing, God is with us.  So let’s allow Jesus to cast away all our fear.