There is a difference between hoping and knowing. Most often we use the word “hope” when we want something to happen, but we are not 100% certain that it will. We “hope” and pray that the operation will go well, or the job will come through, or everything will work out. Whereas we use the word “know” when we have 100% certainty. To “know” is to have an understanding that is irrefutably truthful and factual; it cannot be contested.
In our world today, “truth” can be difficult to nail down – just spend two minutes reading or listening to the news! Truth has become relative and ever-changing. When truth is no longer absolute, we can no longer “know” with absolute certainty. We are left with little choice but to hope. As followers of Christ, we will readily confess that our “hope” is in Him. But what does that really mean in light of the storm that is immediately in front of us?
There is a well-known hymn – It is Well with My Soul – penned by Horatio Spafford. Most of us are familiar with the hymn and the story behind it. (If not, i invite you to click here for the full story.) Spafford’s two-year old son had recently died, he had been financially ruined by the Great Chicago Fire, and his four daughters had just perished at sea aboard their sinking ship. He had experienced overwhelming loss. He had lost all hope.
Singer/songwriter Kristene DiMarco recorded her song – It is Well (lyrics below) – based upon her own personal encounters with challenges and difficulty. She was inspired by Spafford’s hymn, and shares how she encountered God when she needed Him the most.
As i listen to these lyrics, i am reminded of the familiar account in the Gospels when Jesus and the disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee and a storm arose (Mark 4:35-41). They learned, as must we, that storms are a part of the journey. If God is sovereign over all things – which He is – then the storms of our life, at the very least, have been permitted by Him, and in some instances – like the storm that night on the Sea – have been orchestrated by Him. All for the purpose that He desires to accomplish in and through our lives for His glory.
If we would move from hoping to knowing in the midst of the storm, we must hold onto four truths – truths that are absolute and unchanging – that He taught His disciples that night:
1. Remember the promise that He gave you before you encountered the storm. As they all got into the boat, Jesus said, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” He did not say, “Let’s go out to the middle of the lake… and there we will sink.” We must hold on to His promise before the storm, in the midst of the storm, and after the storm has passed. He is trustworthy! What He says will be accomplished! He never promised the disciples an easy trip, but He did guarantee that they would arrive at their destination.
The disciples were in the storm because of their obedience to Jesus. They started well. Jesus gave them a word, and by faith, they obeyed. They trusted His word to start out when it was smooth sailing. What they needed to learn was to trust His word when the storm came upon them.
You may be going through a storm right now. It may be health-related… or financial… or you may find that you are unemployed. Whatever the storm is, hold on to His promise. At the very least – even if He has not given you a specific promise about this particular storm – whatever it is – Jesus has promised you that He will never fail you or abandon you! (Hebrews 13:5). i am often reminded of His promise of provision through the shepherd David in Psalm 37:25 – “Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread.” Whatever the promise, hold on to it! Because He is true to His word!
2. Take comfort in His presence in the midst of the storm. Now granted, we can only take strength from that fact if we are truly walking in His presence, and we haven’t headed off doing our own thing. i can do that very easily. i can head off in my own direction, trusting in my own wisdom and my own strength. i can ignore what the Master has told me to do and be walking in disobedience. In those times, it’s difficult to take comfort in His presence. But the good news is if i repent of my disobedience and seek His forgiveness, i have then entered back into His presence.
As you take comfort in His presence, take a cue from His demeanor. He was at peace in that boat – sleeping soundly. Allow His peace to rule over you, even when the waves are breaking around you. i agree that is more easily said than done, but keep your eyes on Him and do not let your circumstances distract you. The reality of your situation is dependent upon what Jesus says it is, not based on the circumstances you are seeing. It was the unbelief of the disciples that caused their fear, not the storm and not their circumstances. So take comfort in His presence.
3. Your Master is more powerful than your storm. When we’re in the midst of the storm, we, too, have a tendency to ask, “Master, don’t You care that we’re going to drown?” We act as if our Lord is off doing something else and has no idea what we are facing. Or if He knows, that He doesn’t care. Our God is omniscient – which means He has “infinite awareness, infinite understanding and infinite insight”. There is not anything outside of His view. There is not anything taking place in our lives that is beyond His capacity to know what needs to be done to make it right. AND, there is nothing beyond His capability to make it right. Every storm we will ever encounter will ultimately experience defeat at the hands of God.
4. Your Master will use your storm to bring Himself glory. The disciples had no idea what Jesus would do. They didn’t know to ask Him, “Jesus, would you still the storm?” They had an advantage over us in that regard. They didn’t really know Who He was. They had an idea, but they didn’t have the full picture. They didn’t comprehend the magnitude of Who He was and what He could do. Therefore all they could do was call out to Him in desperation. Whereas we, knowing that He isthe Almighty God, have it in our minds to tell Him what we would like Him to do. We have thought through the best solution to our storm – “so Jesus, we’ve already figured it out; we just need You to do this, that, or the other thing!” Wrong! “‘My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,’ says the LORD. ‘And My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.’” More than likely, He will not still your storm in the way you expected – or perhaps in the way you would have preferred. But one fact stands above all the rest – He will still the storm in the way that brings Him the greatest glory!And we may not understand what that is on this side of heaven. But we will hold to His promise that He “causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.”
Encountering the faithfulness of God will, most often, not be a comfortable thing – it will involve storms! Why? Because we have to be in a place that we are totally dependent upon Him and His faithfulness in order to truly KNOW Him.
We can go through life “hoping” that God is real – but He wants us to KNOW that He is real and that He is faithful. Just ask the disciples. Just ask Horatio Spafford. IT IS WELL because God said so… not because i hope so!
Excerpt from Walking With The Master, chapter 29.
IT IS WELL
Grander earth has quaked before
Moved by the sound of His voice
Seas that are shaken and stirred
Can be calmed and broken for my regard
Through it all, through it all
My eyes are on You
Through it all, through it all
It is well
Through it all, through it all
My eyes are on You
It is well with me
Far be it from me to not believe
Even when my eyes can’t see
And this mountain that’s in front of me
Will be thrown into the midst of the sea
Through it all, through it all
My eyes are on You
Through it all, through it all
It is well
Through it all, through it all
My eyes are on You
It is well with me
So let go my soul and trust in Him
The waves and wind still know His name
It is well with my soul
It is well with my soul
It is well with my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul
Written by Kristene DiMarco © 2013 Bethel Music Publishing (ASCAP)