Matthew 8:23-26
Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
He replied, “You of little faith, why
are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves,
and it was completely calm.
Off the coast of Maine, Tim and I waited with
several others for our puffin tour to begin. Once the tour boat launched we'd
travel out about half an hour to see the little birds in their habitat. The
captain announced the excursion would be delayed because of a mild storm. Rain
drizzled down around the boat as clouds rolled over. Once the dreary weather
passed, the captain pulled the boat out into the choppy ocean waters. Thirty
minutes later we stood on the deck and spied the puffins. The boat rocked, the
puffins bobbed, and I hung over the side with my hand wrapped around a pole to snap
photos. Although I should have been afraid of falling in, I wasn't. For two
reasons—Tim was watching out for me and my focus wasn't on fear. Instead the purpose
for the tour held my attention. 
Matthew tells another story about a storm and the
fear that gripped the disciples when the waves crashed. Although my experience
wasn't like theirs, nor was it like the folks who just went through hurricanes,
I learned a lesson. Instead of letting fear grab my attention, I was able to
focus on why I was on the boat. Through determination and anticipation, my fear
took a back seat.
So many days troubles come, storms of life if you
will. And what do I do? Too often I focus on the fear, the anxiety, the
possibility of failure. What should I do? Pray and trust Jesus to see me
through. Also, I need to keep my eyes on my purpose and remember God has a plan
for my life. The storms I go through are not just storms, they're lessons and
opportunities. Our storms give us the chance to show others our faith in Jesus.
Let's praise him through the storms!