“Adapt and overcome!” rings out the cry from the new cadets in the heat of the summer. Their resupply mission has just taken a turn for the worse, and they must now decide what to do to accomplish the mission. Failure is not an option…and is not even contemplated!
Just three weeks into Beast, the new cadets are inculcating a character trait of every American soldier. When faced with challenges or obstacles, we take all the available facts and options into consideration and rapidly adjust to keep moving.
Interestingly, in life, we all like to have a feeling of control over our circumstances. We plan and dream and put together action steps to get us to the end of the day, the week, the pinnacle of success as we see it. Obstacles are approached and quickly pushed through or sidestepped. Perhaps we stumble occasionally but we keep pushing onward.
But what happens when everything we planned or hoped for falls to pieces?
Perhaps through an accident or illness or some other external pressure we fall into a position that we cannot see any way of escape. This can also happen voluntarily though.
In Mark 4, Jesus calls his disciples to travel with him to the other side of the lake. They have spent all day listening to his teaching in parables. Jesus lays out so much truth for the crowds in these heavenly stories, but the amazing part is that he pulls the 12 aside and explains everything to them in a depth the crowd could not handle.
The disciples have the very Word of God speaking to them and encouraging them about the power of faith. He shows them how the Kingdom of God grows from the smallest source as the truth is sown. So much power in these teachings!
That evening, they set out in a boat for another location where Jesus has told them to go. They follow faithfully on the mission assigned them. Even so, when Jesus calls us to a task, we set out on a walk of faith. Voluntarily we follow, trusting that he will be with us and use us to build the Kingdom.
In the middle of the journey, a great storm arises. Many of the disciples were hardened, veteran fishermen who knew the lake and knew how to operate these boats with ease. As the wind and waves batter the small boat, the situation becomes apparently quite grave. Fear sets in where faith had been moments ago.
The waves are going to cause the boat to sink, and the disciples cannot adapt and overcome. What can they do now? How in the world will they make it to the other side? They can’t even see past the immediate crisis because it is so threatening. They are stuck in the middle after following Jesus’ call.
Frantically, they scramble to do absolutely everything they can think of to survive. Nothing seems to work.
But where is Jesus? Where is the one who had just inspired them so greatly during the day? Where is the one who commanded them when everything seems to be falling apart?
He was sleeping!
Have you ever considered why Jesus was asleep and what this story means for us? Is it not strange that the one who created the world seemingly abandons these men during their walk of faith in following where he sent them?
In this case, Jesus rebuked the disciples for a lack of faith after calming the storm with a word. The storms do not always subside immediately, so we must consider why Jesus slept a bit further.
Jesus knows that storms are coming as we follow him, and he sets an example for us. We must rest with him. This is resting in faith.
Surely this doesn’t mean that we should fall asleep while maneuvering the boat, but it does mean that we settle our fragile hearts in the knowledge that Jesus is in the boat.
Jesus commanded! We followed. He is in the boat!
In the walk of faith, tempests are surely coming. The world around will go crazy to the point that we cannot humanly control our environment. Resting in faith does not mean that we are in a boat on a calm, crystal clear lake. It means that even in the darkest hour we are at perfect peace knowing that our God is in complete control.
While the world is turned upside down, the waves are battering our little boat, and unforeseen pressures mount against us, we can settle down beside Jesus and find rest for our troubled hearts. The storm calls us deeper into an understanding of the faith he taught about all day long!
For my family, this idea of resting in faith has become the theme of 2020. We intended to move to Ukraine in April to follow the call of our Lord. The journey across the lake has not been the short trip we thought it may be. Many storms, often unseen upon quick observation, battle against us even beyond the obvious trials caused by COVID.
The journey is a refining process and like the disciples we have often found ourselves unable to understand the waves breaking over us. At times, we have frantically searched for a way to get past the barriers. At times, we have regained our composure in faith. At times we have felt overwhelmed. At times we have basked in his blessings.
Through it all, I know the master continues to ask, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” He urges us to rest with him when we don’t know what else to do. It is such a glorious privilege to be refined in this journey!
Clearly we are still growing in our own faith as we face these trials of waiting. I hope that our continued journey to develop a strong faith that finds rest even when all around us things are out of control will be an encouragement to others.