Today we’re returning to the story of the stormy sea, fearful friends, and Jesus walking on water. Yesterday, we read Matthew’s account of this intentional storm and personal encounter. We saw that Jesus insisted his friends go out on the boat that night, intentionally sending them straight into a storm. And we saw that storm was not to harm them, but to allow for a personal encounter with their Jesus that would have Peter walking on water too.

Reading this has us looking at our storms with a different perspective. The storm isn’t always against us, sometimes it’s for us. Sometimes within the storms of life we experience the power of Jesus personally, and we are changed forever.

My friend Gina sent me a message with words you too need to hear today: There’s no strength to be gained in softness, no power to be found without challenge, no wisdom to be found without searching. You have to hit that wall hard, be challenged beyond what you believe you can handle and continue to seek Him when you feel utterly lost, to truly learn what it means to fully surrender to His will. Even when you think the complete opposite is what’s right for you. Without these hard moments, we become complacent and comfortable and never become who God intends us to be.

Wow, could this be where you are? Could you be held safely in the hands of your Savior, while being allowed to go through these hard moments, so that you become the girl God intended you to be? Yes. I think this is where I am. This is the process of full surrender. This is where we gain strength and power and wisdom.

Now, let’s look at this same story through another account and see one additional statement that will no doubt rock our world.

Mark 6: 45-51: Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he said goody bye to them, he went away to the mountain to pray. Well into the night, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he was alone on the land. He saw them straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Very early in the morning he came toward them walking on the sea and wanted to pass by them. When they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke with them and said, “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. They were completely astounded.

Did you see it? The 5 most confusing words in the middle of this miraculous story. Jesus saw them straining in the storm and he WANTED TO PASS BY THEM. Here comes Jesus, walking on the water in the middle of a storm while his friends are struggling, and he wanted to walk on by. Really, what’s up with that?

My friend Kelly shared this with me after yesterday’s devotional and I just can’t stop thinking about it. Why would Jesus see us struggling and want to just pass by us? My first thought was perhaps his presence should bring us peace. Shouldn’t seeing Jesus in the storm with us be enough? But sometimes we need more, don’t we? I’m so grateful my savior is willing to do so much more!

What if Jesus wanted to pass them by because he was on his way to the other shore where he intended to meet them? Wasn’t that the plan? Didn’t Jesus tell them to get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side? This meant Jesus was going to meet them there after they crossed the sea. And guess what … the plan hadn’t changed.

STORMS DO NOT CHANGE THE PLANS OF JESUS.

What if Jesus was planning to pass by them and not stop on the sea because he was certain of the fulfillment of his plan and he was moving toward the shore where he told them he would meet them. The storm didn’t change Jesus’ plans for them, so he planned to walk on by and meet them on the other side.

I don’t know what storm you’re in right now my sister, but I know this for sure … this storm has not cancelled God’s good plans for your life! He’s not flipping out in the middle of this wondering how it’s all going to work out. He already knows. He knows you’re going to make it to the other side and arrive at your destiny, just as he has always planned.

Isn’t that what we most need to know right now? God’s plans for you still stand. Everything he has promised you is still a go. These storms on the journey have cancelled absolutely nothing.

Jesus was heading to the destination of the shore, because the shore was still the destination for his friends in the boat. The storm hadn’t changed that. But, when Jesus sees they are terrified, he stops. Verse 50-51, “They all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke with them and said, ‘Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’ Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased.”

Jesus stopped. He spoke encouragement and truth. Then, Jesus GOT IN THE BOAT!

Our Jesus will get in the boat with you. When you are afraid, call out to him, and he will continue the journey to the destination with you.

While the storms haven’t cancelled the good plans for your life, if you are afraid, all you have to do is ask Jesus to come be with you through this. What Jesus doesn’t want to do is stay stuck in this with you. He doesn’t want to sit and wallow in this with you. He wants to get you to the other side because that was always the plan. You’re not supposed to stay in this storm, honey, you’re just passing through! Don’t settle for staying stuck here. Don’t assume this is just your life and this storm will always be your story. No, girl, you’re going to the other side.

If you don’t feel like Jesus is close to you in this, maybe it’s because he went ahead to the shore where he knows you will be too. Maybe it’s because he’s 100% certain his plans for you will be fulfilled and no storm can stop that. Maybe it’s because he knows this storm won’t last forever and your feet will land on that shore where he promised you would be. Maybe it’s because he’s making breakfast on the shore and he’s waiting for you there.

One of my favorite stories about Jesus is when he met some of the disciples on another shore. They had been out all night fishing with no success. Early the next morning, Jesus calls to them from the shore. John 21: 9, “When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it, and bread.” You know what Jesus had been doing while his friends were out fishing all night with no luck? He was making them breakfast on shore. He was providing for them what they were unable to catch themselves.

That’s our Jesus. The more I learn about him, the more I absolutely love him.

He’s the one who will make a good plan and fulfill that good plan. He’s the one who will meet you where he said he will take you, without fail. He’s the one who will stop and get in your boat when you are afraid. He’s the one who will calm your storms and bring you peace. He’s the one who will have breakfast waiting for you, just when you need it most.

That’s our Jesus.

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