Jesus said, “Why are you so fearful, o you of little faith” Matthew 8:26

I love the image of Jesus sleeping in the boat in Matthew 8. A great tempest has risen on the sea and the disciples, ravaged by fear, find Jesus peacefully asleep. Now the Bible says that this was no ordinary storm. The tempest was so large that the waves were literally coming over the bow. Matthew 8:24 says that “the boat was covered with the waves”! That’s some kind of storm and yet Jesus is peacefully sleeping though it. Even after the disciples frantically wake him, His first words are, “Why are you fearful, o you of little faith.” Now notice something important. When Jesus says this the waves are still coming over the bow. Their physical circumstances have not yet changed! I find it interesting that in the middle of the storm is when Jesus says,

“Don’t Be Afraid”

Jesus did not create a circumstance of peace before He asked them not to fear. The waves were still coming over the bow and it appears that the circumstances have not changed at all – but that’s where you’d be wrong. The circumstances have changed because Jesus is there. All the disciples had to do was trust Him! I’ve never been in a storm at sea with waves literally coming over the bow. I have been in plenty of emotional storms, stress filled storms, relationships storms, and financial storms where the waves were clearly coming over the bow. So have you. In the middle of your storm Jesus is saying to you, “Don’t be afraid.” Simply turn to Him.