When Fear and Faith Collide
The disciples had Jesus in the boat! But, to them in that moment, the storm was bigger than Him.
When Fear and Faith Collide
Mark 4:40
“Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
The storm came suddenly. One moment the disciples were crossing the water with Jesus. The next, they were fighting for their lives. The wind and waves howled while water was filling the boat.
And Jesus slept.
That’s what unsettled them the most. Not just the storm—but the silence of their Lord. So they woke Him with a question that still echoes in our hearts today:
“Do You not care…?”
It’s an honest question. I’m guessing you’ve probably asked it too—though perhaps not out loud. When things feel out of control and prayers seem to go unanswered—that’s when God feels quiet in the middle of our storm.
Fear begins to interpret the situation for us. It starts whispering things like:
• “I’m on my own.”
• “This is too much.”
• “God must not see”
• “He doesn’t care.”
When that happens, fear collides with your faith. The next thing you know, the storm outside becomes a storm inside.
Finally, Jesus spoke to His disciples. He didn’t just calm the wind. First, He addressed their hearts.
“Why are you afraid?”
That question had a purpose. It was meant to reveal something deeper. Fear and faith are not compatible. They can stand in the exact same place, looking at the exact same storm—and come to completely different conclusions.
Jesus understood something most of us struggle to get—including His disciples. Faith doesn’t grow in the absence of storms, but in the presence of God within them.
The disciples had Jesus in the boat! But, to them in that moment, the storm was bigger than Him. The answer to their problem was standing right there but their eyes were on the storm. Fear took down their faith.
Fear and faith are mortal enemies. Fear says, “Look at the waves.” Faith says, “Look at who is with you.”
We all will face storms in our lives, but we forget that Jesus is right there with us. It’s when we stop staring at the storm and start fixing our eyes on Jesus that our faith grows deep and secure.
Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore … let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of faith...”
