Read Matthew 14.22–33.
When Jesus’ disciples found themselves in a windstorm in the middle of the night, they weren’t frightened until they saw Him walking toward them on the water. Once they realized it was Jesus, Peter left the safety of his boat to walk towards Jesus on the water. The way in which Jesus shows up in the middle of the disciples’ storm—and the way in which they respond to Him—gives us a great picture of how we can have faith that Jesus will bring peace in the midst of our struggles.
1. Jesus is sovereign over us.
Jesus commanded the disciples to get in the boat, and He showed up precisely when a windstorm overcame them. Jesus isn’t unaware of our struggles; He knows exactly what we are going through and when we are facing storms or trials.
2. Jesus is interceding for us.
Before He appeared to the disciples, Jesus was on a mountainside in prayer. If we read this in light of Romans 8.31–39, we know that God is for us and that Jesus intercedes on our behalf. Because He is sovereign over us and interceding for us, we’re never alone, no matter what we’re facing.
3. Jesus doesn’t just still storms, He uses them to bring about greater revelation.
When the disciples were afraid, Jesus used the same exact language God used in Exodus to reveal Himself to Moses. In the midst of our storms and struggles, Jesus continues to reveal more and more of His character to us while also revealing our resolve.
When Peter realized that it was Jesus on the water, he made the decision to leave the safety of the boat and walk to Him on the water. As we see more of God’s character through the storm, we continue to take more steps to continue becoming more and more like Him.
4. Jesus is the only one who is able to bring peace.
Even though Peter walked on water, he did so only because Jesus’ strength and power enabled him. The second he began to doubt, he began to sink. When we focus our faith on Jesus—when the center of our faith is constant—we rely on His strength to bring us peace, even in the middle of our storms.
Discussion Questions
- What storm or storms are you currently facing for which you need peace?
- Are you relying on your own strength to navigate you through these storms? If so, how can you move forward in handing the situation over to God and relying on Jesus’ strength?
- What have you learned about God’s character and your resolve through past storms or struggles? How does your experience allow you to trust God even more as you encounter other storms?
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