Trusting Jesus Through Life's Storms and Fears

Devotional

Day 1: Courage in the Face of Fear

Fear can grip us even when we know we are secure, much like the disciples who faced a storm despite having witnessed Jesus' miracles. In these moments, Jesus calls us to trust Him courageously, knowing He is with us in every trial. Our faith is tested in storms, but these are opportunities to grow in trust and reliance on Him. When we shift our focus from our fears to Christ, we find peace and courage. [01:48]

Isaiah 41:10 (ESV): "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Reflection: What is one fear that is currently holding you back from stepping into something new? How can you actively choose to trust Jesus with this fear today?

Day 2: Purpose in Trials

Jesus allows us to face difficulties to deepen our trust and correct our misconceptions. He sends us into storms not to harm us but to teach us to rely on Him. Our insufficiency highlights His sufficiency, and in our weakness, we find strength in Him. These trials are not random but are intentional opportunities for spiritual growth and transformation. [10:33]

2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV): "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

Reflection: Think of a recent trial you have faced. How can you see God's purpose in allowing this trial, and how might it be an opportunity to deepen your trust in Him?

Day 3: Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus

Like Peter, who began to sink when he focused on the waves, we must fix our eyes on Jesus. Our focus should be glued to Him, knowing He is our only hope for life and salvation. When we look away, we falter, but when we fixate on Him, we find peace and courage. This intentional focus transforms our perspective and strengthens our faith. [23:42]

Hebrews 12:2 (ESV): "Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."

Reflection: What distractions are currently pulling your focus away from Jesus? What practical steps can you take to fix your eyes on Him today?

Day 4: Trust Leading to Worship

Our trust in Jesus should lead us to worship Him as the Son of God. If our trust does not result in worship, it is incomplete. Recognizing Jesus as our Savior transforms our struggles into worship, acknowledging His power and presence in our lives. Worship becomes a natural response to His faithfulness and love. [30:12]

Psalm 95:6-7 (ESV): "Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand."

Reflection: How can you turn a current struggle into an opportunity for worship? What specific attributes of Jesus can you praise Him for in this situation?

Day 5: Responding to Jesus' Call

Jesus calls us to trust Him courageously and to worship Him with our lives. Whether in the storm or the calm, we are to keep our eyes fixed on Him. Our response to His call should be one of faith, surrender, and worship, knowing He is greater than any fear we face. This response is a daily commitment to live out our faith actively. [38:40]

Colossians 3:16-17 (ESV): "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Reflection: In what area of your life is Jesus calling you to trust Him more deeply? How can you respond to His call with faith and worship today?

Sermon Summary

In life, we often find ourselves standing at the edge of something new and exciting, only to be paralyzed by fear. This fear can be likened to a child standing on a high ropes course, looking down and wanting to retreat to safety. Even when we know we are secure, fear can still grip us, urging us to turn back. This is the same fear the disciples experienced when Jesus sent them ahead on the boat, and a storm arose. Despite having witnessed Jesus' miracles, their faith was tested in the storm. Jesus, knowing their fear, walked on water to meet them, urging them to take heart and not be afraid.

Jesus intentionally sends us into storms, not to harm us, but to teach us to trust Him. He allows us to face difficulties to grow our faith and correct our misconceptions. When we are overwhelmed, it is an opportunity to recognize our insufficiency and His sufficiency. Jesus calls us to trust Him courageously, even when fear blinds us. Like Peter, who stepped out of the boat in faith but began to sink when he focused on the waves, we must fix our eyes on Jesus. Our trust in Him should lead us to worship, acknowledging Him as the Son of God.

In our trials, Jesus is with us, sustaining us. He calls us to trust Him daily, to rely on His strength rather than our own. When we shift our focus from our fears to Christ, we find peace and courage. Our struggles transform into worship when we recognize Jesus as our Savior. He invites us to trust Him, to take heart, and to not be afraid. As we navigate life's storms, let us fix our eyes on Jesus, worship Him, and trust Him with all our hearts.

Key Takeaways

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2. Intentional Trials: Jesus allows us to face difficulties to deepen our trust and correct our misconceptions. He sends us into storms not to harm us but to teach us to rely on Him. Our insufficiency highlights His sufficiency, and in our weakness, we find strength in Him.

3. Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus: Like Peter, who began to sink when he focused on the waves, we must fix our eyes on Jesus. Our focus should be glued to Him, knowing He is our only hope for life and salvation. When we look away, we falter, but when we fixate on Him, we find peace and courage.

4. Trust Leading to Worship: Our trust in Jesus should lead us to worship Him as the Son of God. If our trust does not result in worship, it is incomplete. Recognizing Jesus as our Savior transforms our struggles into worship, acknowledging His power and presence in our lives.

5. Responding to Jesus' Call: Jesus calls us to trust Him courageously and to worship Him with our lives. Whether in the storm or the calm, we are to keep our eyes fixed on Him. Our response to His call should be one of faith, surrender, and worship, knowing He is greater than any fear we face.

** [01:48]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:51] - The High Ropes Course
[01:48] - Facing Fear
[06:17] - Jesus' Intentionality
[07:25] - Misunderstanding Jesus' Mission
[10:33] - Jesus Walks on Water
[13:51] - Fear and Hard-Heartedness
[14:39] - Take Heart
[16:10] - Courageous Trust
[18:53] - Teaching Trust
[19:56] - Trusting Jesus Daily
[21:00] - Overcoming Fear
[21:48] - Peter's Faith and Fear
[23:42] - Crying Out to Jesus
[25:55] - Fixating on Christ
[27:35] - Shifting Focus to Jesus
[30:12] - Trust Leading to Worship
[33:49] - Faith in Action
[36:44] - Transforming Fear into Faith
[38:07] - Trusting in the Storm
[38:40] - Worshiping Jesus

Sermon Clips

"Fear has a way of shaking us, doesn't it? Even when we know we're safe, even when we've tested the system, the tested the ropes, we still feel this pull to retreat, this pull to run away to get to safety. That fear, the kind that sneaks up on you even when you thought you were really well prepared, it's exactly what we see in the disciples in this passage today." [00:02:07]

"Jesus allows us to face difficulties to grow our trust in him. It's because he cares extensively about us that he lets us face trials because if we do not trust him, we will not follow him and we will not see eternal life. Jesus allows us to face difficulties to grow our trust in him and often to correct our wrong thinking and our wrong faith." [00:10:24]

"Fear replaced his faith. It replaced his faith when he shifted his focus. And what happens? He starts to sink. He starts to go down into the water. And he cries out in one of the most beautiful, true things to cry out. Lord, save me. He cries that out to Jesus. And Jesus grasps his hand, pulls him up out of the water, and he rescues him immediately." [00:23:20]

"Now, in the same way, we're called, just like Peter, to stop looking at the storm and start fixating our eyes on Jesus. And now I'm intentionally using the word fixate because I want this. It's not just focusing. It's not just like, oh, I've got to bring my focus back in. It is gluing our eyes to Jesus." [00:25:28]

"Jesus calls us to trust him in the middle of life's storms, even when we're afraid. Now, courageous trust is the first step in following our king, but trust must also be fixated on Christ, as we will see with Peter's story. Because if we're running around doing crazy things, saying that we're doing it in the name of our king, but really we're just being boldly courageous, but ridiculous because we fixed our eyes on the wrong thing, then we're actually showing we don't trust our king." [00:21:54]

"Jesus calls you to trust him daily. Maybe you're relying on his strength rather than your own. We can trust him. And though the way it can be overwhelming, trusting Jesus means that we know that he is there. He is with us. He is sustaining us through every difficult thing we face." [00:20:17]

"Brothers and sisters, when we recognize that he is the only one who can save us, if we cry out to him truly, he hears us. He rescues us. He saves us. He saves us from all of the things, not from the difficulties of life, but from the things that are the consequences of our sin." [00:23:52]

"Trust him courageously with your eyes fixed on him and him alone. And let that lead you to worship him no matter what you are facing. Now, if there's one key verse from this section to remember, it's when Jesus tells them, take heart. It is I, do not be afraid. We can take heart." [00:39:23]

"Our trust should lead us to worship. If we're just saying we trust Jesus, but we don't end up worshiping him as God, as the disciples did when he got into the boat and the storm ceased, and it says that they worshiped him and said, you are the son of God, our trust leads us to worship." [00:29:36]

"Jesus chose to send them into the storm. He knew exactly what was happening and Jesus allows us to face difficulties to grow our trust in him. It's because he cares extensively about us that he lets us face trials because if we do not trust him, we will not follow him and we will not see eternal life." [00:10:24]

"Fear and hard-heartedness often blinds us to the presence of Christ in our trials. They couldn't see that it was him coming to them in the midst of the great storm, the great windstorm that they were facing. It's so awful. And we can't see it. We can't see it because we're afraid or because our hearts are hardened." [00:13:44]

"Jesus calls us to trust him courageously and to worship him with our lives. Whether in the storm or the calm, we are to keep our eyes fixed on him. Our response to his call should be one of faith, surrender, and worship, knowing he is greater than any fear we face." [00:38:40]

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