Why Does Jesus Rebuke His Terrified Disciples in the Storm?
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Many of us are familiar with the story of Jesus calming the storm. It’s found in Mark 4, and essentially what happens is this: Jesus and some of His disciples have been busy among the crowds, so they board a boat to cross the water. But while they are out, a terrible storm blows in. Many of the disciples are fishermen by trade, so they know what to do, but this is a nasty storm. The waves are starting to sink their boat, and they are terrified! The problem? Jesus is taking a nap.
None of these fears are sinful! Many are associated with pain, which is something we should naturally avoid. Can I be afraid to fly, but also have faith that God will land the plane safely at my destination? Sure. Can I be afraid of the side effects of a prescribed medicine, but also have faith that modern science is a blessing from God? Yes. It is possible to be afraid but also to have faith. Humans are naturally going to feel fear, and to attempt to banish that fear would not be good for us.
What about fears over the things of God? Can we be afraid of sharing the Gospel with a close friend, or a particularly difficult coworker? Can we be afraid of leaving the comfort of home and going to another country to work and tell people about Christ’s love? Can we be afraid of stepping away from relationships and habits that are leading us away from Christ?
I don’t see why not. What matters is how you let that fear guide you. Be afraid of something, but then pray about it, let God know your fears, and move forward in His strength. In Exodus 3, Moses seems pretty afraid of doing what God was asking of him – but he did it anyway, because God empowered and guided him.
Personally, I believe that Jesus felt occasional fear. As a human, how could He not? Although the Bible never explicitly says that Jesus was afraid, I believe we see evidence of this in the Garden of Gethsemane. So yes, Jesus understands our fears.
I’ll give an example of one way you could pray through fearful situations, whether it’s something big or small.
Dear Father,
This is really bad. God, I’m really afraid right now about [situation]. I know that you are in control of all things, but I’m really worried about [specific need]. Please bring peace and healing to this situation, God. Bring justice where that is due. Bring peace and stillness where that is desperately needed. And God I just pray that you would quiet my fears right now. I’m feeling _______, but I want to have your peace over this situation. God, I pray that you would bring me to a place of safety, but that in the meantime you would stay close to me every step of the way.
I’m so sad that this situations is happening at all. It's a product of sin and brokenness, and I know that it breaks your heart as it breaks mine. In whatever way it’s possible, I pray that this broken situation could draw people closer to you, or help them to rethink their eternal priorities. God, speak to the hearts of everyone impacted by this. I eagerly await the day in Your Kingdom when there is no more heartbreak or pain or fear. I rejoice that one day I will be able to celebrate that with you, face-to-face! But until that time, be with me Lord God. Please keep me and my loved ones safe right now, and keep us close to you.
I ask this in your name,
Amen.
If we return to the Bible story, notice what Jesus does not do when he rebukes His disciples’ lack of faith. He doesn’t yell at them (at least it doesn’t seem that way from the text). He doesn’t accuse them of being cowards. He doesn’t demote them from their position as His disciples. He doesn’t jump out of the boat and abandon them. He stays with them for the rest of the voyage, and then they continue on their journey together.
Fear is a natural part of our human existence, whether it’s anxiety over abstract things, or an immediate fear for safety and security. Jesus understands these fears – He literally knows how that heart-pounding emotion feels. But He also knows that He is the best comfort for us in those times.
When next you find yourself in a scary situation, don’t stuff those fears in a corner and ignore them. Talk to God about it. Mourn with Him that sin has brought such agonizing situations into our world, and talk about the immediate fears that you have. But then just pray this: “Be with me God. Be close to me through this.”
Don’t worry about having “faith over fear.” But in the midst of fear, have faith.
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Photo credit: Unsplash/Torsten Dederichs
Bethany Pyle is the editor for Bible Study Tools.com and the design editor for Crosscards.com. She has a background in journalism and a degree in English from Christopher Newport University. When not editing for Salem, she enjoys good fiction and better coffee.