What incidences of storms do you know of in the Bible? In the Old Testament, I think of the story of Jonah (Jonah 1:4-16), when God sent a violent storm that threatened to sink the ship carrying Jonah and his companions. However, when Jonah was thrown overboard, the sea became calm. We see that God is in control of nature, and the purpose of the storm was to pursue His disobedient servant until he returned to Him.
In the New Testament, I think of the time when Jesus calmed the storm after His disciples woke Him up in fear (Matthew 8:23-27). We learn that Jesus has authority over creation, and as His followers, we should have faith in Him.
There’s also the time when Jesus walked on water during a storm (Matthew 14:22-33). Peter even stepped out to walk on the water, but he began to sink when fear seized him. We learn that Jesus brings peace and that faith helps us trust Him in the midst of fear.
In Acts 27:13-44, we also read about a fierce storm that drove Paul’s ship for days. God promised that everyone on board would survive – and it happened just as He said. Despite the storm, Paul still fulfilled God’s purpose for him: to arrive in Rome, stand trial, and preach the gospel under house arrest.
Sometimes we interpret storms in our lives as indications that we are on the wrong path or that we have done something wrong. But that’s not always the case. In Jonah’s story, storms were sent to bring him back to God’s path. Yet sometimes, storms happen simply to remind us that God is in control. He has full authority over our circumstances. He wants us to trust that He will carry us through, and that we will grow through those storms and draw even closer to Him.
Cherlyn Oh
