“And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Mark 4:39, 40.

My heart aches every time I see the images of those facing the aftermath of floods, tornados, and fires. One moment the peaceful bliss of nature’s beauty, then in the blink of an eye, their world is turned upside down.

When I was a child, thunderstorms at night made me a sleepless, frightened, panic stricken little ‘dad seeker’. Where was he? He was usually sleeping! After a few nudges, he would open an eye and say, “Michael, God is watching over us. That noise is just God and the angels bowling.” It was true, not the bowling part, but the fact that God was watching over us. It helped me sleep.

Floods, tornados, and fires are not limited to nature. They come in many forms. They come to everyone. They do not discriminate. They come to sinner and saint, pastor and laymen alike. They come when least expected. They can overwhelm any human levee, storm shelter, or firebreak.

Just like natural disasters came before there were ‘greenhouse’ explanations, so too spiritual storms came before there were ‘hyper-spiritualized’ explanations. While seeking to understand the cause is important, dealing with storms and their present ravages is vital.

Where do we begin? Let me suggest, “Seek Jesus. He’s in the boat.” He’s sleeping, not because He doesn’t care, but because He knew His Father was in control. In the storms of life, He wants us to experience that same peace.

It comes by faith … faith in Him. Trusting Him during the storm, trust through the aftermath, trusting Him because He is watching over us. He is in the boat. Yes, we can experience His calming presence during and after the storms of life.