The Winds of Adversity

Lately, I have been reflecting more and more on my life and I recognize that I have had perpetual storms that come with some major winds of adversity. There have been so many tumultuous times that wearied the soul. As ferocious waves lash at the boat of life, it is difficult to see that Jesus is in the vulnerable vessel as visibility is often hindered by sheets of torrential rains of confusion and chaos. Yet despite choppy seas that make life feel like it is going to capsize, Jesus is there.

On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!” Mark 4:35-41

Have you ever felt that you are in a storm, and you are about to be toppled over by gale-force winds, yet it seems God is asleep even though the Scriptures assures us that He never slumbers or sleeps? Jesus, who was fully man and fully God, was asleep in the middle of a storm while His disciples were concerned that they would die. As they woke Him up, they wondered if He even cared. His response was to rebuke the wind and to tell the sea, “Peace, be still.” He then asked what I believe was a rhetorical question when He queried His disciples about their lack of faith. Well, I can empathize with Jesus’ disciples. Far too often, I find that God is not showing up in the storm the way I need Him to and when I need Him to. And there are times when it feels like God Himself started the storm. Yes, God can create a storm in our lives.

Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business on great waters, they see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep. For He commands and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves of the sea. They mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the depths; their soul melts because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, are at their wits’ end. Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses. He calms the storm, so that its waves are still. Then they are glad because they are quiet; so He guides them to their desired haven. Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! Psalm 107:23-31

Sometimes God causes the storm in our lives because He wants us to remember to cry out to Him and to recognize His power. How often we forget God when things are going well in our lives? It is in the midst of storms of life that we run to the Father as our refuge. But we should never wait for trouble to call out to God, to praise Him and to give Him thanks. We should be doing all these constantly as we deepen our relationship with Him. We may think we can navigate the waters without Him, but when we are out in the deep and the winds crash swollen waves against our ships – whether relationships, partnerships, or fellowships - then we realize we need God to still the waves and to guide us to a haven. There are times, however, when the storms are of our own making because of unwise choices and wrong actions. Unfortunately, these storms in our lives may affect those who are doing life with us. Parents, spouses, friends, governments, managers and sometimes people we may not even know can make wrong decisions that affect our lives adversely.

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. But the Lord sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up. Then the mariners were afraid; and every man cried out to his god, and threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten the load. But Jonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship, had lain down, and was fast asleep. So the captain came to him, and said to him, “What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God; perhaps your God will consider us, so that we may not perish.” And they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this trouble has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. Jonah 1:1-7

What do we do when we have a Jonah in our boat who is disobeying God and therefore causing a major storm in our lives which he or she is oblivious to? What do we do when we don’t have control of our lives because those who are in authority over us are running from God’s presence and we are facing the consequences of their sin? What can we do when the winds of adversity coming against us are not our fault?