The Storms of Life

As we weather the storms of life, especially during this time of Covid19, we can look to the Bible for encouragements and help. 

In John chapter 6 we read of the Lord Jesus and his disciples during a storm on a lake. 

As we read the passage we can firstly see the ‘The Setting’. The Lord had instructed the disciples to get into a boat and to sail over to the other side. It had been a busy day after the feeding of the 5,000 but now the disciples were in a “dark” (v17) place. Sometimes, as we look around and as we look out into the world we can see this darkness in our lives. We see the sin and evil in man’s heart in the world all around us and like these disciples we find ourselves in a dark place. 

As we continue through the passage we are taken up with ‘The Sea’. At the beginning we see the calmness of the sea as they set sail but “the sea arose”(v18). In our lives we can look back and see the calmness of life but then events take hold and like the sea our boat of life starts to rock. As we are in this pandemic can we believe that only a few weeks ago we were calm, life may have been normal but “the sea arose” and we see our lives tossed around like the boat in this passage. 

We can note that the sea not only arose but the disciples realised they were now in the middle of ‘The Storm’. A “great wind that blew”(v18). May be today in our life we feel the cold winds of the north and as the sea is rocking our boat of life we can easily be taken up with the winds, distress, turmoil of our surroundings and may be now you are experiencing a storm in your life. 

What was the disciples’ reaction?, they “toiled in rowing” (Mark 6 v 48) in other words, rowed extremely hard, and here we are presented with ‘The Struggle’. They were hardened fishermen but even they struggled to bring the boat under control. As we experience life’s challenges we may be struggling, especially during this time as our movements are restricted in many ways. Maybe we are struggling to cope with the darkness and storm going on around us and like the disciples are trying to row and struggle our way out of the storm. 

In our last point, we want now to consider ‘The Saviour’. We have considered the darkness, the sea and the storm and struggle. As we look back, to the disciples, “they were afraid”. In your current circumstances you may find yourself in this situation today, afraid, apprehensive of what the future holds but let’s remind ourselves of the Lord Jesus’ comforting words to his disciples – “It is I, be not afraid”. They welcomed Him into their boat and the storm and wind ceased and they landed safely on the other side. 

May we encourage our hearts that if the Lord Jesus is in our boat of life we can be assured of encouragement and help during the storms of our life. We will experience the storm but with the Lord by our side we need “not be afraid”. 

Reader, I wonder whether you have welcomed the Lord Jesus into your boat of life?, 

The bible states “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” Romans 3 v 23. This may be bad news but the good news of the bible is outlined in 1 Timothy 1 v 15 which says ”This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners;” Acts 16v 30 and 31 goes on to say “..what must I do to be saved?” and the answer given so long ago is the same today “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved”. 

Paul Cartwright