A huge storm came up. Waves poured into the boat, threatening to sink it. And Jesus was in the stern, head on a pillow, sleeping! Mark 4:37–38 (MSG)
You can stay calm and at rest in the middle of hard times. How do I know?
Because Jesus was able to, and He is our example. Mark 4:35-41 tells how a violent storm whipped up as His disciples rowed across the lake. When fierce waves began to swamp the boat, the disciples panicked—but Jesus remained fast asleep and unbothered by the storm.
Why wasn’t Jesus concerned? I used to think, “It’s because He’s the Son of God. He had it easy.” However, Hebrews 4:15 says Jesus was tempted at all points just like you and me. He experienced the same temptation to be afraid as the disciples did.
The real reason Jesus wasn’t worried was that He knew He’d make it to the other side. We know that God commanded Jesus in what to say (John 12:49-50). So, if Jesus said, “We’re going to the other side,” that tells me God had already given Him instructions to head there next.
Hebrews 4:1-3 talks about a calm that’s available to believers in the eye of the storm. It says there is a readily accessible rest for God’s children, even when surrounded by chaos. If you struggle to know this rest, I encourage you to grow your relationship with Christ—because on this side of Heaven, storms will blow.
And when they do, you can rest in the knowledge that if God has called you somewhere, nothing can stand in your way as you continue to trust and follow Him. The more you become convinced of this, the better you’ll be able to rest like Jesus did, even in a storm.