Peace Be Still

Mark 4:39

And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

This verse is from a story of the disciples on a ship with Jesus. While Jesus slept, a storm came, rushing water into the boat and the disciples were afraid. They woke Jesus and asked him, “aren’t you concerned that we are about to die in this storm?” Jesus got up and spoke to the winds, commanding the storm to cease with three simple words, “Peace be still.” At His command, everything calmed down. He then asked the disciples why they were so afraid and how is it, after all they had witnessed, that they had no faith.

By this, we must stop and ask ourselves, ‘where is our faith?’ When things seem to be in chaos around us, when situations seem difficult for us, when we are experiencing what we consider a storm of life, where is our faith? Do we have enough faith in the God we serve to speak to our situation and command “Peace Be Still?”

Can we stir up memories of all the times God has come through before in order to now stand boldly and calmly to speak order over the chaos? Can we recall a scripture that reassures us of a promise God has already made relating to what now seems to be too difficult to withstand? When you are experiencing what appears to be a storm, remember it’s really just an exercise of that faith muscle. Please stop, take a breath and recall:

Matthew 17: 19, 20. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it (the demon) out?” He told them, “Because of your lack of faith. I tell all of you, with certainty, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and NOTHING will be impossible for you.”

This is also an example of the disciples showing their lack of faith and Jesus is telling them and us, if you just have faith you can accomplish everything you believe. Speak to your situation with certainty, what it is to be, rather than what it appears to be, and watch for the change.

Philippians 4:13. I can do all things through Christ because he gives me strength. This is a reminder of the endurance and persevering qualities you have through your faith in God. You can get through anything, as long as you believe you can stand firm in your faith.

2 Timothy 1:7. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. This is a reminder that there is no situation or circumstance in which we should be fearful or timid. With faith, we have the power and authority to change the situation, we have love that overcomes all, and we have a mind that we control. We can choose to tame our thoughts so that fear cannot overshadow our faith.

#peace #faith #storms