#FEARLESS365 is a yearlong study of God’s commandment to us to live without fear. For 365 days, we will focus on one scripture and volunteers from all over the world will share their personal thoughts and what God has shared with them on the specific verse. For more info… go here.

They came to Jesus and woke Him up, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves, and they stopped, and it became calm. 25And He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?”

Luke 8:24-25

As I write this, we are experiencing a time of record weather in my area and across the country. Words like Atmospheric River, blizzard, severe flooding, rockslide, and danger are saturating local and national headlines and Facebook posts. With this intense weather, it is no surprise we become fearful when our neighbors share frightening stories of trees falling, driving through floods, or getting stuck in a blizzard. We may lay awake at night listening to the pounding rain and heavy winds and worry about our safety or the safety of our loved ones. During times of anxiety over extreme weather, natural disasters, or personal trials, you might wonder where God is. God has shown me He has the situation under control.

In the Bible, Luke recorded a significant storm in chapter 8:24-25 when Jesus slept peacefully in a boat while His disciples sailed it as a sudden, severe storm approached. After being tossed about by the wind and seeing the boat filling with water, the disciples woke Jesus for fear of their lives. Although the disciples had witnessed a few healing miracles and had heard Jesus’ teachings, they did not truly comprehend who He was. However, they believed He could help them. While the disciples did not fully understand Jesus’ power, we know who Jesus is and what He can do. When most people experience calm times in their lives, they confidently tell everyone that Jesus is in control and takes care of them. But when the storms come, we cry out in fear like the desperate disciples. How quickly we forget the other times Jesus has carried us through and protected us! Jesus is with us as He was with the disciples during the storm. Nothing has changed. Maybe your storms aren’t of catastrophic weather, but He is carrying you and me through now. Whatever your storms may be, may you rest in the peace of knowing God cares for and protects you.

Pam Lagomarsino of Above the Pages is a Freelance editor for Christian materials who lives in the West Coast. She served on a jury in the oldest operating courthouse west of the Mississippi.