Sunday: Life’s Storms
Daily Lesson for Sunday 7th of June 2026
Jesus had spent the day speaking to large crowds of people on the shores of Galilee. Jesus’ words would echo in the people’s minds for a long time and down throughout eternity.
As evening fell, Jesus spoke to His disciples, inviting them on a journey with Him. “ ‘Let us cross over to the other side’ ” (Mark 4:35, NKJV). Jesus knew a storm would come but suggested they go anyway. He had an important life lesson to teach His closest followers.
You likely know what happened next.
Read about this storm again in Mark 4:35-41. What lessons on faith can you take from these verses?
Consider these points:
-
Jesus falls asleep on what was likely the only pillow in the boat. The fishing boats usually had one pillow, which the driver of the boat, at the stern, sat on. The person at the stern guided the boat to the destination. So here, Jesus is in the position of the boat’s “driver,” but He falls asleep at the wheel.
-
Not all the disciples were new to sailing. Peter, James, and John were experienced fishermen. They knew the Sea of Galilee, and they would have known how to navigate a storm.
-
This is the only recorded Gospel account of Jesus sleeping. During one of the worst storms in their lives, when the disciples are terrified and think they’re going to die, Jesus is asleep at the stern.
-
The disciples’ response in their time of crisis is “Do You not care?” They questioned Jesus’ character and His love for them. Too often, this is also our response when we face hard times.
Image © Pacific Press at Goodsalt.com
It’s in the midst of hopelessness that we might try to save ourselves (like the disciples), or sometimes it’s when we feel pain or loss that we start to question or doubt God’s love and care for us. We presume that He should act in a certain way based on what we think and see from our human perspective. But, as with the disciples, it’s in life’s storms that God can work the greatest miracles. God is always faithful, even when His apparent lack of involvement doesn’t make sense to us. He’s in our storms with us and can calm the storm when we cannot.
|
What is your usual response when you face a storm in your life? How do such moments impact your relationship with God? When have you lived out 2 Corinthians 5:7? |
I have told this story of a man whose life had been overtaken by tragedy His wife had died suddenly and unexpectedly. He was alone and crying bitterly when his wise and gentle father discovered him and sat beside him. Together they hugged and shed tears together. Finally, his father siad to him, “Do you remember when you were a kid and you would break one of your toys. You would bring it to me, and I would fix it?”
The son nodded.
The father continued, “Well, I cannot fix this one. It is not the sort of thing I can fix unfortunately. But I promise you, we will get through this together. I will be with you all the way!”
Sadly, tragedy comes to all of us. The Psalmist says it so well:
Paul, speaking about spiritual issues offers this advice to caring Christians:
Life is filled with storms, hard times, tragedies, trials, troubles, disappointments, and loss that are inevitable, though not necessarily insurmountable. These storms can be stressful and painful, but they are often unavoidable. Some storms result from choices we make ourselves; others arise from the decisions of those around us. Still others are allowed by God’s sovereign will. Yet God does not lead us into storms to destroy us; rather, He desires to teach us, strengthen us, and draw us closer to Him through them. Our storms never escape His attention, nor are our lives ever outside His loving care. The Lord watches over us continually and promises not to allow us to be tested beyond what we can bear.
The bible reminds us, “God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape” (1 Corinthians 10:13). We will find ourselves facing circumstances far beyond our expectations. We will experience pain and heartache we never imagined possible. One moment, life may seem calm, predictable, and secure; the next, a sudden storm threatens to capsize our boat and plunge us into chaos. During such times, we must keep our perspective and remember that every storm is only for a season. It will not last forever.
God remains by our side through every trial, and after the storm comes the calm; the sun shines again, and life moves forward. As the Lord assures us, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you” (Isaiah 43:2). Although our plans may be interrupted by life’s storms, God’s plans are never disrupted. Sometimes, the very storm we wish to avoid is God’s way of moving us toward a new place, a new purpose, a fresh vision, or a new beginning. These are the storms we should never ignore, for they often become the pathway through which God accomplishes His greatest work in our lives.
I just picked something from your comment that God has favoured us more than we can imagine just imagine someone gives you for instance in class your teacher is giving you the same exact thing he or she just taught you it’s obvious you pass the exam this is how God has structured for us and added to that if you struggle he says come to me all those who weary and are heavyweight and he will give you rest giving you his light yoke what a God please may God help us to trust in him 💯
Amen, Motanya. Thank you for raising this very practical and inspirational thoughts. Life seems hard when we go through life storms. But life changes when the storm passes over..if we stand in faith with Jesus.
I don’t know the nature of life’s storm you are faced with right now, I want you to know that from my own experiences I can confirm that JEHOVAH our God is faithful, reliable, trustworthy and ever present to deliver, restore and strengthen whoever runs to Him for help in challenging times.
May these assurances encourage you to lean on Jehovah if you are having a tough time right now;
” All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37
” For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13, Joel 2:32
“But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.” Psalms 33:18,19
God allows storms to hit us in order to help us strengthen our faith and relationship with Him and glorify Him when He delivers us.
Make no mistake about it, storms won’t stop coming according to Acts 14:22 (Amp.) which says;
“strengthening and establishing the hearts of the disciples; encouraging them to remain firm in the faith, saying, “It is through many tribulations and hardships that we must enter the kingdom of God.”
But we have a firm and steadfast anchor in God’s words and assurances that can never fail.
The question now is;
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, Or [nor heavenly rulers] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:35,37-39
It is while in the eye of the storm that we will understand, experience and appreciate the phrase ” Everlasting love” in Jeremiah 31:3 if we sent an SOS to God for help.
“The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” Jeremiah 31:3
No life’s storm is greater than the life giver!!!
Our God is faithful!!!
What are life’s storms? These are intense experiences characterised by trials, sufferings, disappointments, losses, temptations, persecutions, and crises that people encounter in a fallen world. These sudden happenings are not necessarily caused by human wrongdoings, but due to living in a fallen world (Ephesians 6:12). Life’s storms are no respecters of persons; even the most faithful servants of God experienced their share of storms. Not even the Son of God (Jesus Christ), while on earth, was able to escape life’s storms. For instance:
1. Job – The storm of suffering and loss
2. Joseph – The storm of betrayal and injustice
3. David – The storm of persecution and failure
4. Elijah – The storm of discouragement
5. Daniel – The storm of opposition
6. Paul – The storm of persecution and hardship
7. Jesus – The storm of Gethsemane and the cross
Storms by themselves are not desirable because they cause pain, loss, injustice, persecution, and suffering, which were not God’s original intent. However, God, being so sovereign, can use storms for redemptive purposes. However, undesirable storms can, God can use or allow them to achieve the following redemptive purposes:
i. God can use storms to reveal our defective characters – “The trying of your faith worketh patience.” – James 1:3
ii. God can use storms to strengthen our faith – Peter 1:7
iii. God can use storms for correction – “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.” – Psalms 119:67
iv. God can use storms to prepare for future responsibility – For instance, Joseph’s prison prepared him for leadership (Romans 8:28).
v. God can use storms to reveal His presence – Isaiah 43:2
It is important to remember that God does not always explain every storm we face in life. Nevertheless, He promises His presence in the midst of our trials and assures us that He is working through them to fulfil His purposes and bring about our ultimate good.
“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.” (Romans 5:3-4, NLT).
If only He would prevent storm. Lord, please do not let the storm linger for too long else your children will perish.Amen!
I have learned to stop bickering… have I mastered it? no. But, I think if we keep practicing righteousness and knowing that Abba Father is a good heavenly father. He didnt just create the Sabbath day for rest, he created it for us to stop bickering too. And we must make this a conscious effort so God can flow through us and use us in the storms. If we master this we will know God allowed it for a purpose, we will master praising God anyway, and to look to Father God as author and finisher of our faith. we can do nothing without God and with the hardship he molds us. How can we be molded(growing pains) without a great fragrance?? Rev 5:4-8 😭 just to read the prayers of the saints facing difficulties and never turned their back on God .. Lord have mercy and some of (dead in faith)heb 11. Col 3:1-3.
The devil seized upon his opportunity to stop Jesus and the disciples in one fell swoop. He thought he had them good as gone. He thought wrong! He underestimated the power of Jesus. Jesus could sleep through the storm not so much because of his exhaustion, as because of his relationship with the Father.
If you are going through a storm in life, keep going. You will eventually sail out of it. If Jesus is in your boat, it’s going to float. It may take on some water, but it’s going to float. I have been through enough storms in life to know that Jesus knows what he is doing even when I don’t. He usually intervenes when I have exhausted myself trying, sighing, and crying. The One who rebuked the wind and the waves still has power over the storms we sail into. Do we believe it? That is the question we need to answer. When a storm pops up in my life, I no longer say, “here we go again!” I have learned to say, “here we grow again!”
“Some times he calms the storm and other times he calms his child.”
Sometimes He Calms the Storm, Scott Krippayne
Thank you, Tim!! 🙂
Yes, indeed – “Sometimes He calms the strom with a wisper, “Peace, Be Still”. He can settle any sea but it does not mean He will. Sometimes He holds us close and lets the winds and waves go wild. Sometimes He calms the stroms and sometime He calms His child.”
Lyrics from ‘Sometimes He calms the Storm. Scott Kripeayne
Thank you Tim, you wrote “Some times he calms the storm and other times he calms his child.” This reminded me that sometimes what we need to change is not our circumstances but it is us.
Thank you once again,may God continue to use you.
The Response: Before or after a storm… aka challenging life event; without a doubt we exclaim God is faithful. In the midst of a storm is where the truth character of the heart is revealed. Panick, anxiety, doubt, fear seems to be a natural reaction of my sinful nature. The calm and peace only comes as I recognized and realize that God is right is the midst with ME calling my name! Then and only then do I calm down. The ONLY way that I recognize HIS voice during the storm, is because I have spent time with HIM, i know hos voice before the the storm came.
I am hard pressed to find a clear answer to today’s question. “What is my ‘usual’ response” sounds as if ‘storms’ assail our life all the time. Maybe they do – like ‘small’ storms of disappointments, disagreements, or maybe even hardships because of unforseen circumstances.
Do we not live out 2.Cor.5:7 daily? What one considers a real big storm, another might not see it as such at all. Considering that any circumstance could potentially harbor ‘stormy weather’, is it not important to look to include Jesus’ help for ‘calming the winds’ as soon as they are a stiffening ‘breeze’?
Faith should not wait ‘till the storm rages’. We cannot ignore ‘faith’ whiles we travel on the straight and safe road, feeling ‘surprised’ when road signs ahead start warning of ‘curves’, and then wonder: “what happened” after ending up in the ditch because we ‘forgot’ to take the foot off the gas pedal.
Faith is discerning, as it ‘reads and heets the road signs’ ahead. It is a gift given to help us navigate the roads of life safely, if at all possible, at all times. Faith provides ‘interpretation of warning signs’ when seeing storm clouds form on the horizon. Jesus – the living Word of God – is with us at all times. Should life become too complex and overwhelming – be still – call on Him – He will calm the storm in your heart – Psalm 46:1.
Life storms are an opportunity for learning and change. The more rigid we are, the more likely we are to break. Being flexible and patiently waiting for the storm to pass is the best choice. We cannot control other people’s choices, which can cause significant instability in relationships.
The disciples went to wake up Jesus after they had tried their best to save themselves from the storm.Jesus wakes up and calms the storm,however;the deciples are suprised that he calms the storm.they were not sure that he could solve that problem but he did anyways. Jesus interfere our situations even when our faith is little. Just tell him