Storms of Fear

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

Today's reading, titled Storms of Fear, was written by Adam Holz. In a TV commercial I saw recently, a woman casually asks someone in a group watching TV, What are you searching for, Mark? A version of myself that doesn't make decisions based on fear, he responds soberly, not realizing that she was just asking what he liked to watch on TV.

Whoa, I thought, I wasn't expecting a TV commercial to hit me so profoundly. But I related to poor Mark. I too feel embarrassed by the way fear sometimes seems to direct my life. Jesus's disciples also experienced the profound power of fear in Mark chapter 4. Once, as they headed across the Sea of Galilee, a furious squall came up. Terror gripped them, and they suggested that Jesus, who'd been sleeping, might not care about them.

Teacher, don't you care if we drown? Fear distorted the disciples' vision, blinding them to Jesus's good intentions for them. After he rebuked the wind and waves, Christ confronted the disciples with two penetrating questions. Why are you so afraid?

Do you still have no faith? Storms rage in our lives as well, don't they? But Jesus's questions can help us put our fears in perspective. His first question invites us to name our fears. The second invites us to entrust those distorted feelings to Him, asking Him for eyes to see how He guides us, even through life's most raging storms.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Mark chapter 4, verses 35 through 41. 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. He said to His disciples, Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?

They were terrified and asked each other, Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him. Let's pray. Loving Savior, thank You that You're always present in the storm. As we move through life's scary moments, help us to talk to You and each day to trust You with our fears. Thank You, Jesus. It's in Your name that we pray. Amen. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.