Growing up, I was frozen by fear in many areas of my life. It was a debilitating fear that kept me from activities, closeness with others, and new opportunities. But God…He showed me His love and gave me a new way to live. Though it wasn’t always an immediate change, God began to equip me with His Word to hold onto amidst fear. He gave me His presence as a calm anchor in distress. He gave me freedom and friendship with others and in Him. There were many times that I asked myself or felt God asking me, “Why are you so afraid?” While I didn’t have the tools to answer that yet, following Jesus was an unexpected respite of calm in my life.
As Jesus is in the boat with the disciples in the middle of a storm, it probably would have made more sense to me to calm the waves first and talk later. However, Jesus stops and asks them that piercing question before He does anything else. Jesus knew that He could and would stop the life-threatening storm. He knew their fear and lack of faith before He changed their circumstance. Therefore, He also knew what was underneath their fear during this particular storm — a shaky and insecure faith. Only God knows exactly what was going on in the disciples’ hearts, but I know that I can relate to their response.
No matter what we’re going through, God knows it. He doesn’t just know what it is, but He knows it intimately and He knows how we’re carrying it in our hearts. He also has the authority and ability to conquer it, to move the mountain, part the seas, and make a way for us. One thing I know for sure: God is always on time. He does not withhold. His actions have a purpose. He is for us. If all that is true, why are we so afraid?