We have access to a fathomless sea of resources: community, the Internet, therapists, and more. But eventually each of us will come to a point when we must ask, “Who, or what, is my ultimate voice of authority? Is God who God says He is? Can I trust God to do what God says He will do? Do I believe? Will I see the world and my story through my point of view, or dare I consider seeing through a different set of lenses—from God’s point of view? Can I believe in this kind of peace?”
Matthew 8 tells about the time Jesus was with His disciples on a boat when a storm came up on the Sea of Galilee. The disciples were filled with fear, grabbing buckets and ropes, holding on for dear life as the boat heaved and lurched on the swelling waves. “Where is He?”, they yelled while crawling toward where they last saw Jesus. Then, Jesus calmed the storm with one single rebuke. It was completely calm, the Bible says. The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the wind and waves obey him!” (Matthew 8:27).
What strikes me the most about this story is that Jesus asked His disciples the strangest question in this circumstance, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Seriously? Quite obviously anyone would be freaking out about the very real possibility of being tossed overboard and drowned at sea. So what was Jesus getting at? Although His followers were with Jesus in the flesh, they were being called out for a lack of trust and for being afraid while in the presence of “God, Mighty Creator” (Elohim) of both the wind and the sea. I believe this has a couple of simple, but important, implications for us when we face trials in life.
First, God who created all things and is sovereign over all, calls us to put our faith in Him alone. Not in human beings. Not in government or world leaders. And certainly not in the weather. Some people live in really grave circumstances on a day-to-day basis and still live full and abundant lives. Their faces radiate joy. While it is easier said than done, living by faith cannot be based on our circumstances. External things change, but Jesus doesn’t.
Second, we have no need to be afraid. Jesus talks a lot about not being afraid. If you back up a couple of chapters from Jesus calming the storm, He devotes Matthew 6:25–34 to instructing us not to worry. He tells us that we don’t need to worry about our lives because God will take care of all the details. Even when life doesn’t go as planned, and even when life gets really rough, worrying does not add a single moment to our lives.
Our job is to stop denying the terrifying or distressing event(s), recognize our emotions, own them, and then begin leaning into the truth and authority of God, who holds the blueprints for our well-being. Only then can we begin to leave negative emotions behind. This is not a quick fix, but with time and practice, the symptoms of trauma can begin to fade.
