From Stress to Serenity

"He said to them, 'Why are you so afraid?  Have you still no faith?' And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, 'Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?' " Mark 4:40-41

It is so interesting to read about the disciples' reaction to this storm.  It must have been a real hum-dinger.  Most of the disciples were fishermen by trade, so I am sure they had witnessed some pretty powerful storms in their line of work.  And not only did they have experience on their side, they also had Jesus, who was sleeping peacefully on the boat with them.  Even in light of these factors, they were scared to death.  They actually thought that this was the end for them.
So they ran to wake their slumbering Savior who did not seem the least bit worried that they might perish in the tempest.  Scripture says that he awoke and "rebuked the wind" like he would an unruly child, and the sea obeyed its Creator.  These tough, courageous men probably stood there dumbfounded.  And Jesus says, "Why are you so afraid?  Have you still no faith?"  Even after witnessing all the miracles that had taken place at the hand of Jesus, did they still doubt who He was?  Apparently, they did.
 But don't I do the same thing?  I praise God and rejoice in His goodness while the sea of life is calm, but as soon as the waves and the wind of struggle begin to mount, I doubt Him.  I begin to wonder if He's forgotten me or if He is even in control.  Forgive me, Lord, for taking my eyes off of You and questioning Your ways.  I trust You to see me through any storm and I know You have the power to make me stronger in You as a result.  Help me to glorify You even when faced with difficulty.