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In Your Boat

    When we are facing tough circumstances, it is so easy to get distracted from what we know is the truth. We see the difficulties around us and are constantly reminded of them. Sometimes so much so that it becomes our reality. We get discouraged and our faith falters. How do we combat the lies the enemy has planted in our minds through difficult circumstances?

    I think my favorite twitter account @HoodJesusYo puts it best, "A lot on yo plate? Don't tell God how big ur storm is.. tell tha storm how big ur God is! When God is for u who can stop u?" Though this phrase is humorously put, it is hard to argue with such truth. Why do we get distracted with circumstance and then complain to God as if He cannot see? We have it quite backwards. We shouldn't be yelling at Jesus to pay attention, but rather combating those storms with the truth He has promised us in His word! We should be changing the reality of our perspective and our words.

    The disciples made this same mistake when they were on a boat with Jesus during a raging storm. They yelled at Him as if He was unaware of the storm happening around them. "Don't you care if we die, Jesus?" I imagine Him shaking His head at them in sleepy annoyance. He rebukes the waves and probably goes back to napping. It is quite silly, really, for the disciples to have thought they would have died with the living God in their boat. So why do we think the same? Jesus is with us and will not let us perish. No storm could conquer the One that created the Heavens and the earth.

Mark 4:35-41 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 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?” (ESV)

    Today, remember that Jesus is in your boat. He will not let you perish through the storms of life. He is bringing you through it all. Trust that He will take care of every need in His timing. In the mean time, start speaking His truth and believing it. Tell those storms how great your King is!

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