When the storm arose, the disciples were in the boat in the middle of the sea. It was also late at night, making the entire scenario a very frightening one. Meanwhile, Jesus was fast asleep in the stern of the boat. This was the same master they were following and he could not be bothered that they were about to perish. What they failed to realize was that He was about to build a stormy faith in them.
The winds rose and the waves tossed and rolled. If you find yourself in a similar situation, you would also be scared out of your wits. Me too. We would panic and join in their cry, “Master, do you not care that we perish?” He woke up, rebuked the wind, and left his disciples open-mouthed with wonder. Who was this man that they called master? All He told the storm was “Peace be still” and the storm stilled. However, he asked His disciples a question about the stormy faith He was building in them.
Jesus wanted to know why they were so afraid, referring to them as men of little faith. What! Did He just suggest that fear was the opposite of faith? He seemed to be saying the more faith they had, the less fearful they would be. Without the storm, they would have never had the chance for that understanding. In that sense, the storm that threatened to destroy them was a positive problem.
Stormy Faith Does Not Come In A Comfort Zone
Without the storms of life, you cannot understand about stormy faith. You would continue to suppose you are a woman or man of faith. This is a great time to say we should be careful what we pray for. You may desire to be able to heal the sick or raise the dead, like some Christians you know. That headache you have, you speak to it but it does not go away. Deep down, you are aware you cannot shift your cancer unless the temperature of your faith rises. So you pray for greater faith.
Terrible mistake. Like the disciples in the stormy faith account, you will receive problems. Someone once said you should not pray for patience because God will bring intolerable people to you. You see, unless something or someone tries you, you cannot develop. The unlovable person develops patience in you. In the same way, a storm develops faith in you. The stormy faith only arose in the disciples during a storm.
Those people who raise the dead should not describe the troubles they have been through. You probably would not believe them anyway. But troubles are God’s instruments for developing faith in anyone. I know by experience, and please do not ask me to share. Because I desire faith, I am prepared for even greater problems. That is my stormy faith.
Barbara Did Not Know about Stormy Faith
In graduate school, I had a classmate. She was slightly older than most of us in the class and we became friends. Soon, I was sharing my faith with her. She sat back, shocked that someone from a third-world nation knew about faith in Jesus. I laughed at the notion and explained to her. When you can never be sure there will be electricity, you need faith to wake up. It takes faith to start cooking because the taps do not flow.
I ended by telling her she did not know what faith was. She might be familiar with the word, but she had no experience with faith. She had not developed stormy faith because her life had been easy. That idea came up in the interview that Benson Idahosa had with Pa Elton many years ago. That was before he became a bishop. Pa Elton compared the faith in the developing world with that of the wealthier nations. He said the people in the developing countries have greater faith. Of course.
Inn those countries, you have to pray before you get on the road, It might have developed potholes or be the scene of huge traffic jams. You have to have faith that your car will start in the morning. The people in the developing countries have stormy faith, the faith that comes through hardship.
It is Worthwhile
That said, you may still desire greater faith and pray for it. Fasten your seat belt The storm will come to give you your stormy faith. For instance, I enjoy being able to say to the pain in my leg “Be gone” and it disappears. So I am praying for faith and fastening my seat belt. It is a choice. If you choose to pray and get results, prepare for a stormy faith. If you decide to pray and not get results, you fear what a stormy faith will bring.
I am praying that before too long, you will become tired of having unanswered prayers. You will grow weary of living with pain or poverty. Then you will reconsider. Is it better to go through a stormy faith and get rid of those problems? Or will you remain so afraid that you will prefer to live with a headache, or whatever diagnosis? I know my answer. I hope you know yours. Jesus knew His answer when His Father asked Him to come to earth to get a family for Him. Today, we celebrate Him. The world will celebrate you if you know your choice.
Maranatha!
