Go Forward in Faith, Don't Flee in Fear!

Have you ever been in a storm while at sea? I have...twice. In one occurrence I could barely walk I was so disoriented. I wanted OFF of that ship! However, had I jumped in desperation, I would have been lost to the storm, destroyed because of my fear. Instead, I took some nausea medication, prayed, and covered my head with a pillow! Eventually we passed through the storm and came to the shore.

Fear...it brings a snare and is not given to us by God, according to His Word.

The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe. --Proverbs 29:25

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind --II Timothy 1:7

Yet the sin of fearing and doubting and worrying...is one I often find myself confessing! Anyone that knows me can testify that I am very much a work in progress! I'm just thankful the One doing the work is well able to perform it! It doesn't depend on me, but Him! He began a work in me, and He WILL perform it until He is ready to call me Home and I stand before Him, complete, perfect, finished. 

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: --Philippians 1:6

Recently I heard about another storm some people were in, and they too were afraid. My pastor preached about it, and since then I've not been able to get away from it. The Lord has been helping me with this passage of Scripture, so I thought I would take a moment and share some thoughts--some from His message, and some the Lord has given me since. I don't know what storm you're facing, but if you're like most Christians then you; just came out of a storm, are in the midst of one, or you're just about ripe for a big one! Maybe this will help someone, but if nothing else, I need the reminder! 

And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people. And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land. And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out: For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid. And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered. For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened. And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore.

Mark 6:45-53

First of all, I notice Jesus sent them into the storm. He constrained them to get in the ship and go to the other side. He, being omniscient, knew exactly what He was sending them into, though they had no idea. It was His perfect will that they be where they were. Just because we are in a storm, does NOT mean we are in disobedience or out of God's will. (It can mean that, and if that's the case the Lord will make that known, but not every storm is for chastening.) He constrained them...in other words, He made it VERY clear they were to get in that boat--and not just get in the boat, but get to the other side. He didn't say, "Get to the other side if it's convenient, if the seas are fair, or if you feel like it." He just told them to do it. He also gave them a promise, in a sense. If He told them to go to the other side, it meant they would be able to get there. Just because something is difficult or looks impossible, DOES NOT mean that God is not able to bring it to pass.

Next I see what Jesus did. He went to pray. Often in His earthly ministry He took time to pray, and now He sits at the right hand of the Father making intercession for us. Even in Scripture we see Him praying for His disciples, and even praying for those of us who would eventually believe upon Him. Could it be, though I'm not certain, but is it possible he was praying for them? He prayed for Peter when the devil desired to sift him as wheat. Peter had to face that trial and he even messed up, but the devil did NOT destroy him. Peter's greatest ministry followed his biggest test. Just because we are Christians does not mean we are exempt from storms or trials, but we can take courage in knowing our Saviour is praying for us! 

Then I see when they were in the very middle of the sea, it was dark. Further down it mentions the fourth watch, one of the darkest times of night. I know there are times I face storms and it seems so very dark. I can't see, and neither could they. Though they couldn't see Jesus, He could see them. There are times when we can't always see God working. That does not mean that He isn't. It reminds me, He sees me even when I can't always see Him. We I can't track Him, I can trust Him!

I also see they were toiling in rowing and the wind was contrary to them. Amazing that the perfect will of God would put them in a situation were the circumstances seemed stacked against them--impossible even! That's so opposite of what many would have us believe! A handful of men, in a vessel with no outboard motor, no modern technology, rowing against a strong and contrary wind. I imagine the waves hitting them, tossing them, impairing their vision even more, and perhaps making them disorientated and uncertain if they were even going in the right direction. 

This is were we often fail worse than the disciples. It's true, they were fearful, but they never turned back and they didn't jump ship. They could have said, "Let's turn around! The wind will blow us back to the original shore." Or perhaps they simply could have grown weary and just stopped rowing and allowed the wind to blow them back. Or worse yet, they could have given up and said, "I'm just going to jump ship and give it all up." They didn't do any of those things, but we often do! We'll be confronted with our biggest fears and fiercest storms, and instead of rowing on even though we're afraid, we'll turn our boat around and run as fast we can for shore. Or maybe we don't outright flee, but instead we just stop trying and find ourselves carried backward by our circumstances. The worst is when some jump ship all together and give up on God's will. That's when THEY become the shipwreck. 

No, the only thing to do in the midst of a storm is to simply keep pressing on, even though it's hard, even though we can't see the end. We just have to go forward in faith, clinging to the promise that we'll make it through the storm safely to shore. There was no sin in their being in the storm. There was no sin in the circumstances being contrary. There was no sin in them having to fight nearly impossible odd to accomplish what God told them. There WAS sin in their fear. God gave them His Word they'd make it, and that should have been enough, regardless of what circumstances seemed like. That is where I often fail. Time and time again, God gives me His Word (the Bible, that light for my path) and regardless of what the circumstances say, that should be enough for me! Even when I can't see God working, I can still cling to the Word He gave me, and that's what the disciples should have done as well. 

Yet despite their fear, they toiled and pressed on...and even though they had feared, Jesus was still about to reveal His glory to them. He's good like that! You see, though they doubted Him, He still passed by their way. He still spoke peace to them. He still calmed their storm. He still got them to the other side. He is faithful, even when we at times are not. They saw Jesus walk to them on the sea, they saw Him calm impossible circumstances, and soon after, they received the promise; they made it safe to the other side.

He does that for us still, even when we doubt, He'll still show up, right on time and let us see His glory...but not if we run, and not if we give up, and not if we jump ship. Had they done any of those things, they would have missed Him walking on the water. He would have passed by as it was! How often do we allow our fears to get the better of us and turn us around, causing us to miss Jesus passing by? How many times do we miss a miracle or miss Him walking on the water and calming our storms because we're afraid? How often do we get out of His perfect will because we flee in fear? Oh my, how it convicts me to consider that! 

The end of the passage above tells me something about human nature even today. Their hearts were hard and they forgot all God had done in the past. Sometimes that's me, and if you're honest, sometimes that's you as well. We forget those storms He already brought us through. We forget the miracles He already performed. Those landmarks of the past, those stones of Ebeneezer, that sure Word of God He's given us; THAT is what we should be thinking of when we're fearful. We can have confidence God will get us through and still be faithful, because He has always been faithful! He's been faithful to us and others, and all of it should remind us He's still faithful in the midst of a storm!

I don't know what you're facing, but please don't quit. Don't flee in fear! Go forward in faith! You may not be able to see and you may be tired from fighting your circumstances, but if you turn around now, you may miss the shore that you're so close to, and not even realize it. You might miss Jesus revealing His glory and speaking to you. You might just miss a miracle! Keep going! Keep toiling in the darkness, keep rowing in the storm, because right on time, right when you need it most, He'll come walking on your sea speaking peace and take you to the other side.

The waves may be over your head, but they're always under His feet. He won't bring you through your storms to drop you in the puddle either! Just cling to His Word...it is faithful and sure even when everything around us seems hopeless. Go forward...but do it in faith! Don't flee in fear! I say this to you and myself...because God so often says it to me from His Word. 

And if you do find yourself in circumstances and you ARE afraid (because, being human, you probably will again, eventually!) keep going forward anyway. He's still faithful, and He'll still pass by your way. He'll still speak peace from His Word. I have heard and found it true; "God doesn't bless us because we are good. He blesses us because He is good." And so He is!