Where is your focus?

1Corinthians 14:33 “God is not a God of confusion but of peace.”

Do you ever feel confused or overwhelmed? We all do at times. How can you know peace when nothing in life is meeting your expectations. Maybe you experience a loss or are dealing with a ton of change. I have had nights where I couldn’t fall asleep because I felt so overwhelmed by what was happening in my life.

It reminds me of the times when the disciples were crossing the lake in the boat and the storm rose up and tossed them around. Now these were experienced fisherman so they were used to handling rough waters, but these storms such as in Mark 4 were beyond what they would normally face. The storm is crashing all around them. The boat is taking on water. The disciples are scrambling trying to stay afloat as they are fearing for their very lives! They are on their own right? Jesus left them? No! -Jesus is fast asleep. The disciples wake him up in astonishment that he is sleeping. Doesn’t he care that they are taking on water and that it seems like all hope is lost? Have you ever been there?

​Our storms may look different, but aren’t there times when we feel like we are going to drown from the waves of life that are crashing around us? We may wonder, God how can you let this happen? Or as the disciples were probably yelling at him- How in the world can you be sleeping at a time like this! Then what does Jesus say to the storm? “Peace, be still”. The storm calms down and Jesus asks them why they are afraid, why is their faith weak? A short time later in Mark 6 Jesus sends the disciples out across the sea and a storm arises, and Jesus walks on the water. Peter was brave enough to get out of the boat and even walk on the water. He did great as long as he kept his focus on Jesus; however when he started to lose perspective and focus on the storm that was crashing around him he sank.

We wish having the Prince of Peace would mean having no troubles. What gets me in these stories is that the disciples were going exactly where Jesus wanted them to go. Following Jesus lead them into the storm. Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you.”

Where is your focus? If it’s not on him you will sink. To fully trust will require times to “Be still, and know that He is God.”-Psalm 46:10


Excerpt from "Be Lifted High"