LESSONS YOU LEARN ONLY IN LIFE'S STORM

IN THE GOSPEL OF MARK WE READ:.... HE SAID TO THEM, ''LET US CROSS OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE''...AND A GREAT WINDSTORM AROSE, AND THE WAVES BEAT INTO THE BOAT, SO THAT IT WAS ALREADY FILLING. BUT HE WAS IN THE STERN, ASLEEP ON A PILLOW. AND THEY AWOKE HIM AND SAID TO HIM, ''TEACHER DO YOU NOT CARE THAT WE ARE PERISHING?'' THEN HE AROSE AND REBUKE THE WIND, AND SAID TO THE SEA, ''PEACE BE STILL'' AND THE WIND CEASED AND THERE WAS A GREAT CALM. BUT HE SAID TO THEM, ''WHY ARE YOU SO FEARFUL? HOW IS IT THAT YOU HAVE NO FAITH?'' AND THEY SAID TO ONE ANOTHER, ''WHO CAN THIS BE, THAT EVEN THE WIND AND SEA OBEY HIM!'' (MARK 4:35-41) HERE ARE TWO LESSONS YOU LEARN IN ONLY LIFE'S STORMS: (1) YOU MUST TRUST WHAT GOD HAS TOLD YOU. WHEN JESUS SAID, ''LET US CROSS OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE'' THERE WASN'T A BIG ENOUGH WAVE TO TAKE THEM UNDER, NO MATTER HOW THREATENING. WHAT HAS GOD PROMISED YOU? STANDING ON THAT WONT KEEP YOU FROM GETTING SCARED OR SOAKED, BUT IT'LL KEEP YOU FROM SINKING. (2) YOU MUST REMIND YOURSELF WHO'S IN THE BOAT WITH YOU. IF THE LORD CAN CALM A STORM, HE CAN PREVENT ONE. SO WHEN HE PERMITS YOU TO GO THROUGH STORMS IT'S TO SHOW YOU THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM HE CAN'T SOLVE; THAT YOU MAY BE POWERLESS IN THE SITUATION BUT HE'S NOT; AND THAT THROUGH THIS EXPERIENCE YOU'LL COME TO KNOW HIM IN A WAY YOU HAVE NEVER KNOWN HIM BEFORE. SO LEARN THESE LESSONS WELL AND COME OUT STRONGER ON THE OTHER SIDE.