Did you know that sometimes God sends us into the storm? Since He is our Heavenly Father, every once in awhile, He will do what any good parent does and guide us through a challenging circumstance in an effort to teach us to face our fears.

I remember when I was a kid, I had a fear of water that went on for many years. Naturally, this is not good for a child living in Southern California because we are close to the beach and my family would frequently visit. Since I was mostly afraid of the waves, when I was about eight years old, my dad, who to me was like Arnold Schwarzenegger, decided he was going to break me of my fear. That particular day, we were at the beach with my friends, and as they went running toward the water screaming and ready to jump in, I stayed back and told them, “Have fun!” As my Dad watched this, I’m sure he was sorely disappointed in the cowardice of his son, so he decided to take matters into his own hands. He grabbed me with his big log-like arm, carried me toward the water as I was screaming, “No! No! No!” and held me gently but firmly in the waves until I realized that there was nothing to fear. He assured me that it would be okay and he told me, “You can learn to swim in those waves.” Although it was terrifying at the time, I’m very glad he helped me to overcome my fear that day because some of my best childhood memories are of surfing and playing with him and my family in those waves.

Friend, it’s good to remember that God may carry you into the waves in order to break you of fear and open up the door to better things. For instance, maybe you should have left your job a long time ago so getting fired was His way of walking you into the ocean. Whatever it is that you have faced or are facing, don’t lose sight of the fact that Jesus is in it; He loves you more than you can imagine, even more than Himself, which is why He gave His Son to die on the cross for you. He is a good Father and you are His precious and beloved child; He will not let you perish in the storm because He is with you! Isn’t that amazing news?