FEAR IN THE STORM

It’s amazing what happens when you confess your fears out loud—they shrink from the size they were living in your head. I was listening to Pastor Creflo Dollar this morning on TV. He was telling the story in Matthew 8 about Jesus calming the storm. I immediately recognized what I had been doing the past couple of months. I let fear enter in like a thief. The unlocked window to my soul allowed Satan to grow the fears in my head and overtake my heart. Those fears took control of me.

Faith is not faith until it is tested. It’s in the testing that I really see. Beth Moore in her Bible study Believing God gives us five pillars to stand upon to test our faith: Do I believe God is who he says he is? Do I believe God can do what he says he can do? Do I believe that I am who God says I am? Do I believe that I can do all things through Christ? Do I believe that God’s word is active and alive in me?

To add my own questions…Do I believe that he cares? Do I believe he understands? Do I believe he will provide? Do I believe he loves me? Do I believe he’s forgiven me? Yes…all of the above.
So, I spoke my fears this morning. I fear I won’t be loved. I fear people will push me aside. I fear that I am too outspoken. I fear that I have messed up my children. I fear my relationships will end. I fear I will never get out of debt. I fear I will never find the right person to marry. I fear I will not have enough time to get everything done. I fear that I have offended important people in my life. I fear I won’t be forgiven. I fear my friends won’t see the truth about themselves. I fear I will not make good choices. I fear I will continue old patterns of behavior.

Wow! No wonder I have been feeling overwhelmed.

Jesus was resting in the middle of the storm while the disciples were freaking out! I can just picture the scene…the disciples are standing in a boat quickly filling with water with cups in hand trying to bail out what little they could. The wind and the rain are howling around them and they look back to see Jesus sleeping. Irritated that he seems a little too relaxed in the middle of what’s going on, they decide to wake him and beg him to do something. Jesus stands and immediately rebukes the storm. The wind and rain are silenced. Then Jesus turns to them and says, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” (Matthew 8:26).

Convicted! The disciples’ mouths drop open. They start to backtrack… “But, we didn’t think you cared. We had to do something because you wouldn’t.” Then in an eye-opening moment, the disciples were amazed and asked, “Who is this man? Even the winds and waves obey him!” (Matthew 8:27)

Speaking my fears allowed me to see the truth. And the truth set me free again from the bondage of fear. I realize that I do believe God. I do believe he will take care of me.
In the Easter sermon at my church this past weekend, I heard the pastor speak about God being a third day God. Friday was the day Jesus was killed. All hopes and dreams died with him. Saturday was a day of silence and pondering what was ahead. But, the glory was in Sunday when Jesus arose and people understood that he really was alive.

My Good Friday has ushered in losses and I’ve felt as if it was the end. Right now I am living in my Saturday wondering what the future holds for me. But, I believe that God is a third day God…and I believe that there is no telling what he will do on that third day for me.