Overcoming the Storms

😚Many times I hear various authorities on Scripture talk about the storm described in Mark as sent by the devil. After all, they reason, if God sent the storm Jesus opposed God when he calmed the storm. I suppose from a natural point of view that might be true but we know that Jesus only di what he saw the Father do and only said what he heard the Father say.
So Jesus wasn't opposing the Father when he calmed the storm, but I no longer believe that the storm came from satan. Let's look at the situation:
The storm is raging and howling all around and Jesus is sound asleep in the stern of the ship. The disciples wake him, saying, "Don't you care that we are perishing?"
We are often in the same situation, tempest-tossed and  wondering if our Father in heaven knows or cares, even wondering if he's so angry at us that he sent the storm to chasten us.
I can assure everyone from personal experience that this is untrue. First, we have to take our eyes off our circumstances, off our concern for ourselves and allowing fear to rule us, and look to Jesus. 2 Nephi 2:26 declares we are free to act and not be acted upon. We can act upon our faith rather than react to our circumstances.
Think about this: If Jesus was so calm and confident in Heavenly Father's ability to get them safely through the storm that he was fast asleep then shouldn't his disciples (including us) trust also? 
Look to Jesus. If you see Jesus running around tearing his hair out in a frenzy going "I don't know what to do!" then you have my permission to panic. On the other hand, if Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, is calm through the storm then take a hint and do the same thing.
Jesus rebuked the wind and waves because he had compassion for  his disciples but he also rebuked them saying "Why are you so fearful? How is it you have no faith?"
You have to know, not just believe, but know Heavenly Father loves you. When you are secure in that love you can stand strong while the storms of life rage around you, because he is holding you close, keeping you in that pocket of serenity that the Psalm 91 calls "the secret place."
When you abide in that place life is so amazingly good you just want to tell the whole world!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Power of Words

I truly wish people would be more careful with the words they use. We live in a word-created system and therefore  we can not get out from under the power of words in this life or the next. What we do get to choose is what words we'll live under: the words of Heavenly Father or the words of the adversary. Please STOP misusing words. I cringe when I hear people use "incredible" as some kind of compliment. Do people not realize that "incredible" means "without credulity" as in, "something to not  give credence to"? Yet I hear fellow saints saying,  "The Book of Mormon is incredible!" or "The first presidency said the most incredible thing!" For the sake of our testimonies, I pray not!
Read more

Creating A Budget

The foundation principle for creating a budget is live a balanced life. https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2012-10-1070-president-dieter-f-uchtdorf?lang=eng I try to keep the daily demands of life in balance by living one day at a time, as I learned from the 12 Step Groups like Addiction Recovery Program. I set aside time for meals, Scripture study, playing with and caring for my cats, and exercise but I struggle to achieve balance with those things. Sometimes I have to read two days of Scripture in one to catch up, sometimes I feel exhausted and my place is too messy to do proper exercise, and sometimes my post traumatic stress is so bad I can barely drag myself out of bed to face the day. It's at these times that I have to call upon my Father in Heaven to strengthen me to shoulder my burdens. The Savior achieved a balanced life by ministering to others, retiring to pray, teaching, spending time alone with God, being surrounded with crowds,  and resting. He knew when he ne
Read more

Sharing About Rahab

Image
Isn't it amazing to see whom God chooses for service in His kingdom? In the natural sense, humans tend to select those individuals whose appearance—looks, height, build—meets their standards. Ability and intelligence also play a part in the selection process. The best and the brightest are assumed to be the right individuals for the important tasks. In some cases, one's family name may be the factor in whether or not an individual receives a particular opportunity. Sometimes overlooked are those who do not make a great first impression or haven't received honors and recognition. People with lower-level jobs, limited education, and a minimal range of skills are often bypassed. It is amazing the bias, prejudice, and discrimination which often comes into play. Isn't it wonderful how God doesn't use the same criteria! He sees the heart and what each person can become. He knows the potential when given the opportunity. Such is the situation when Rahab, an unlikely
Read more