As a disciple of Jesus, it’s critical to consider how He lived his life and dealt with challenges and interpersonal interactions. I believe it is safe to assume that He was relaxed based on His personality and actions. Although His journey took Him to a variety of locations and He met a variety of people, some of whom were opposed to His ministry, He was at peace. He wasn’t frightened, stressed, or worried about what was going wrong. This is notably evident in Matthew 8 when He is said to have slept during a storm.

The disciples are in Gennesaret, on the Sea of Galilee, in this story. If you’ve ever visited Israel, you’ll know that the name “sea” is virtually a misnomer when it comes to defining this body of water, since it’s simply a large lake measuring about 13 miles across. It’s interesting to note that it’s about 600 feet below sea level, which makes it quite pleasant; it’s typically tranquil, and the climate is ideal. However, because the geography is shaped like a bowl, changes in weather patterns occur swiftly. According to some observers, the wind feels as if it is blowing from every direction and that it appears out of nowhere. It is important to note that Jewish cosmology held that the world was shaped like a sandwich and that bodies of water physically divided the earth from the chasm underneath. They believed if you leaped into a body of water and swam deep enough, you’d end yourself in hell. So this story begins with a group of fishermen, most of whom are unable to swim, on the threshold of hell, with a tremendous storm gathering. Fortunately for them, Jesus was aboard their boat; however, you might be surprised at what He was doing…

Jesus was napping while the disciples panicked, shouted, and thought they were going to die. Although this appears to be cruel indifference at first glance, I believe it is a promise that if we commit to being like Jesus, we will inherit serenity and the capacity to snooze in the storm as well.

Friend, snoozing in the storm, means you’re in sync with God, and resting amid the storm is the fruit of faith! Rest comes from understanding and trusting that God is in control of even the most difficult trials. Because your Savior is in charge of your life’s boat, you can rest knowing that everything will work out as He safely transports you to the other side! Isn’t that amazing?