More Than Get You Through the Storms of Life

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More Than Get You Through the Storms of Life

by Jonathon Wright

“That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, ‘Let us go over to the other side.’ Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?’ He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm” (Mark 4:35-39).

Jesus showed the disciples that He has the power to calm the raging seas. The disciples were scared out of their wits and thought they were going to die. At first, they thought Jesus did not care for them because he was resting in the front of the boat. They came to Him, and with just three words, the storm was gone. Following this, Jesus talked to them about their lack of faith. They did not do well on this test, but Jesus took care of it and kept working on them.

Although James did not see this miracle, he and the other apostles, would witness the Resurrection and Ascension which helped them have unwavering faith. Because of this, James starts Verse 2 with a more optimistic attitude when facing tests of our faith.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4).

What does it mean to count it all as joy? Romans 5:3-5 talks about rejoicing in tribulation which produces patience, which also produces experience—or what I would call encounters with God. These experiences then produce a hope that eliminates shame because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. 1 Peter 1:7 describes the process of testing our faith as more precious than gold because it will result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ or when Christ returns.

These God moments were very special to them. They were giving praise to God for all the good things He was going to do in this life and the one to come. They are a great reminder that God can do more than just get us through the hardships of this life. He blesses and enriches our lives through the struggles of this life—both now and forevermore. He works on our character to make us the people He has called us to be. That is why the apostles were able to rejoice and take joy when they faced hardships. That is why they could wait patiently, trust God and weather any storm or test of faith.

I would like to close with testimony concerning some things the Lord has done during the pandemic. The Lord helped me get through some personal health issues which helped me have a better appreciation for my family who stuck by me. This helped me to be a better husband and father, as well as have a tremendously better attitude about my life. I feel like a completely different person.

I am so thankful for the positive signs that this pandemic is moving away from us like a passing storm. I believe and pray that one day we will look back on this and tell our children and grandchildren that we survived a global pandemic by the grace of God. Thank you, Jesus, that from beginning to end You are with us.

About The Author

Jonathon Wright currently lives in Cleveland, Tennessee, and has been a member of the Church of God for about twenty years. He is a graduate of Lee University and Beacon University where he earned a BA and MA in Biblical Studies. He loves studying the Bible and has done so for over thirty years, but only now has God given him a desire and the opportunity to be a writer. He is currently beginning the process of writing a book on Genesis entitled, God’s Good Prophetic Plan: From Beginning to End.