......afraid

As we continue the fight, whatever fight this season finds us in, we must remember our true battles are not against flesh and blood - not against the media or the government or the economy, not against our children or spouse or others in the workplace - but "against the spiritual forces of evil in the Heavenly realms" Ephesians 6:12. 

The true battles occur in a world which is real, but unseen; and yet, the battles we see and hear everywhere we turn are the ones which tend to consume our thoughts and cause us to become angry...and to fear.

As Jesus was teaching and healing around the Sea of Galilee, large crowds of people began to come out to Him. One evening, Jesus decided to leave the crowds behind and sail with His disciples to the other side of the sea. As Jesus slept in the back of the boat, a terrible storm soon developed. The disciples woke Jesus and cried out in fear, "Teacher, don't You care if we drown?" Mark 4:38.

"He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, 'Quiet! Be still!' Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to His disciples, 'Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?'" Mark 4:39-40 The disciples had seen Jesus cure a man with leprosy, heal a paralytic, and teach with the authority of Almighty God, but now they thought Jesus didn't care. When Jesus rose, He rebuked the storm as well as His disciples. These men who were chosen to walk with the Son of God were now accused by Jesus of being afraid and living without faith.

This same event occurs in our life today. Jesus climbs into our boat and directs us to a distant shore. We've heard about His miracles so we joyfully cast off, expecting a smooth sail. Suddenly, the wind begins to blow and the waves turn white; this is probably not the voyage we had in mind. No longer able to see the shore, we begin to wonder why we ever set sail. Did we really hear His voice? And in our desperation we pathetically cry out, "Don't You care if we drown?" ... Is our faith really so weak?

In the midst of our fears, we must remember that the God to whom we cry is the same God who created the Heavens and the earth, sent His Son to die for our sins, and gave us His Spirit "with whom we were sealed for the day of redemption" Ephesians 4:30. He is the same God who chose us to walk by His side!

Jesus is still committed to our journey, and still in complete control. In His perfect timing He will calm ALL the wind and waves, ALL the roaring seas. When doubts begin to surface, we must draw even closer, hold on even tighter, and trust Him even deeper. No matter what battles we see with our eyes and hear with our ears, no matter how many changes we face along the way, we must be determined to live each moment by faith and refuse to be afraid.

- steve troxel