Master, The Tempest Is Raging.
If you’ve spent any time scrolling through social media or reading the news, you wouldn’t be mistaken if you feel like the world is unraveling at an accelerated pace. I have certainly felt like that and have been sucked into the vortex of negativity that is the internet right now.
Quite honestly, it’s felt a bit overwhelming and incredibly heavy. I feel it. The world. Everything. It all just feels heavy. In years past, I found myself intrigued by True Crime podcasts. More clearly, I was interested in understanding the psychology of the macabre. However, I naturally lost interest this year as my soul couldn’t seem to take or want to handle another dark, crime story. Instead, I found myself consistently turning to comedy to uplift my spirit, more particularly, The Impractical Jokers (Love those guys). This year has brought enough heaviness, I just wanted to feel light.
As I was scrolling on Facebook one day, I saw an image of the Savior standing firmly on top of the water looking straight at me with an arm outstretched. The viewer was made to have the perspective of Peter, who was being drowned by the waves. I had been feeling like Peter.
It’s been a few months since I saw that, but I’ve thought of it frequently and began to realize how fear had been slowly displacing my faith. Since then I’ve had some clarifying experiences that have taught me an important lesson.
Experience #1: Moving to a new home
First, my wife and I decided to sell our home. At first, it felt like a whim, but everything seemed to make sense as time progressed. We felt the decision was right. It wasn’t a strong voice from heaven confirming our decision, but simply there were no stumbling blocks, which seemed to validate our direction. We listed our home on the market and within two days, an offer came in that we accepted. Great! Four days later, they backed out. Crap! The house went on the market again. Two days later, an offer came in and we accepted. 14 days into contract, they backed out.
This was the point where we really started to doubt our initial feelings. Was this right anymore? Was it ever right? My gracious agent immediately got it listed on a Saturday, and Sunday morning, we got some excited visitors. Within the next day, our third and final offer came in who eventually became the official buyers. I know it’s not uncommon to have multiple buyers, but I felt humbled through the experience simply by not having my timeline nor expectations about the process met.
Experience #2: Moving to a new career
Second, I had an interaction with a close friend and former missionary service companion. I was asking about his chosen field of study and how he began that journey. He told me that he was sure he had chosen the right field and felt like God had led him to make the decision. As time went on and challenges began to surface, doubt crept in and he began to wonder if it was the right decision after all. In fact, he told me he had felt like Peter a bit who started to focus more on the waves around him than on Christ.
Again, God was trying to get through to me and teach me that I was like Peter. And being like Peter, I knew His arm was outstretched inviting me to grab his hand.
Experience #3: Moving to new ground
Finally, I was speaking with my friend Chris Cannon one day who shared his experience of moving and selling his home. In his experience, he had been led by the spirit to a piece of land to buy. As he learned more from the seller, they connected over their family’s history and found an interesting connection that could help Chris find a missing link to his lineage. It was more than a real estate transaction, it was a journey he began to reconnect with long lost family. Shortly after, challenges arose in selling his home and he started to question that initial guidance and whether it was right.
The pattern of testing faith
As I’ve studied the scriptures, this is a pattern of how the Lord tests our faith. I think of Moses having visions of the promised land and then waiting 40 long years to enter. I think of Joseph Smith having a miraculous vision from heaven and then not hearing anything for four years (not the only time he felt abandoned by God). I think of Christ Himself as He felt abandoned in the Garden of Gethsemane when he uttered, “Father, why hast thou forsaken me?” Do I think I’m that special to skip this important time of testing? Am I the exception to this mortal school? For some reason, I think I am at times. However, God is trying to convince me otherwise.
In the New Testament, there are multiple accounts of storms raging at sea. We read of the winds and waves crashing against the boat that carried Christ and His disciples. We read of them growing fearful as the storm raged on. However, in one such story (Mark 4) before the storm ever arose, there’s a detail almost so menial that it’s easy to pass over. Before they ever get in the boat, Christ told them, “Let us pass over unto the other side.” Meaning the other side of the sea. Why is this detail so important to the story? Because oftentimes, we are invited through the spirit to move to new ground.
We feel confident in our decision to cross the sea while we’re on the shore. Furthermore, it was He who invited us on dry ground. And if He’s in charge, what’s to worry about? I’m sure Peter and the other disciples felt the same way before getting in the boat. He wasn’t anticipating the potential winds or the waves. These experiences both personal and biblical are all microcosms of the larger eternal narrative. Before we came to this earth, we probably didn’t anticipate just how strong the winds would be. When we step into marriage or parenthood or a new career or any big decision or transition in life, there can be so much excitement and clarity. It feels right! But life has a way of grinding you down—sometimes forgetting the faith you once had in the first steps of your path.
“Master, carest not that we perish?” yelled his disciples in the boat. I feel like shouting the same thing some times. To which He responds, “Peace, be still.”
The tempest is surely raging right now. I’ve come to learn that as I focus on Christ, I am filled with faith in the midst of turmoil. Part of that faith rests upon the fact that it was He who invited me to the “other side” of the sea. I accepted the invitation by getting in the boat. I accepted the invitation to move to the “other side” by selling my house, by becoming a husband, a father, by taking on the responsibilities I’m called to, by simply coming to this earth.
The other part of that faith rests in the fact that he rests—peacefully in the storm. He offers that same peace to all. He’s in the boat with us. And if you feel you’re drowning, I’ve learned you’re never outside His infinite reach, simply look to Him.
