By John McHoulPerhaps you have at times felt like the disciples who were in the storm tossed boat (Mark 4: 35-41) with Jesus, who was in the back of the boat asleep. The boat was filling with water and of the disciples we read, "FRANTICALLY THEY WOKE JESUS UP, SHOUTING,"TEACHER, DON'T YOU EVEN CARE THAT WE ARE GOING TO DROWN?"
Perhaps there have been times, when in following His will, you have found yourself in a difficult, trying place and have wondered why it seems that God has left you alone and is not responding to your prayers and cries for help. Especially in that you are in a hard place because you have obeyed His call.
The disciples were not alone; Jesus was with them. It was their faith that wavered. In Mark 4: 40 Jesus asked them, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still not have faith in me?"
The issue here was not really the storm and the danger of drowning, as much as the disciples doubting that Jesus who was also in the boat, and Jesus who was the one that told the disciples to get in the boat and to go over the other side of was not in control.
Just because we follow God, it does not mean that everything will always go smoothly and that we will be without struggles, hurdles, storms and difficulties. But it does mean that we are in the best place possible, because we have followed Him to that place.
Some people ask, "John, how can you live in Haiti, isn't it dangerous?" And my reply alway is that for us it is the safest place to be because it is where God has called us. Yes, there have been trying and dangerous times, but we have never forgotten that the God who called us here is also here and that we are not alone.
