"The disciples went and woke him, saying, 'Lord, save us! We're going to drown!'

He replied, 'You of little faith, why are you so afraid?' Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

The men were amazed and asked, 'What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!'" Matthew 8:25-27 NIV

The disciples witnessed first-hand as Jesus healed a wide assortment of illnesses and cast out demons. Were they dense? Did they have short-term memory loss? Why didn't they know who he was and believe that he could rescue them from this storm?

But before we criticize the disciples too harshly, let's pause and look in the mirror. How many times have I witnessed God working in my own life? How many storms has he safely carried me through? And yet I feel afraid. The winds and the waves in my life look so strong and I feel so weak. I forget who he is. I forget what he can do.

When the disciples begin to panic, Jesus looks at them and ask, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Our fear reveals that at the core level, we're failing to trust God. Fear cannot live in the presence of trust. The only remedy to our fear is to place our trust completely in God.

Of course, he won't always command the winds and waves to calm down. Sometimes God lets the storm rage and guides our little boat safely to shore. Either way, we can find calm in our hearts if we would only remember who he is and trust him with our lives.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27 NIV

Sometimes the future looms in front of me with ominous gray shadows that fill me with fear. There are so many problems lurking out there in the great unknown, some in the more immediate future and others lingering in the distance. All of them remain unsolved mysteries: how will they be resolved? My mind races but finds no solutions. What am I going to do?

Of course I've prayed about it. But I'm sure I'm not the only one to feel a tight knot of anxiety in the pit of the stomach even after a sincere prayer. I know that God already has a solution in mind, and I know that he will lead me to it at the right time--but waiting patiently for it is the difficult part.

Jesus said he would give us his peace. Not the kind of peace the world offers. Why is it that I keep looking for that kind of peace--the kind that comes from financial security and a five-year plan? The peace Jesus offers isn't dependent on my situation or shaken by the unknown. If I only claimed his peace, I wouldn't feel troubled or afraid.

Why then do I allow myself to feel so anxious and frightened? Why do I lay awake at night worrying when I know that my life rests safely in the palm of the Master's hand? I have access to a peace that defies all the odds. I just need to claim it.

"Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think." Ephesians 3:20 NLT

How good is your imagination? Personally, I can think up some pretty good plans for the Lord. However, the usual respnse to my submitted request is a firm, "No." If he can do even more than I could ask for, why is it that he so often denies my requests?

We love to quote Matthew 19:26, "With God all things are possible." So what's the deal? Why is it that we live with such a constant flood of disappointment?

The answer lies with one word: Purpose. God is not limited in his resources. But often our requests don't line up with his purpose, which is why our proposals are so often declined. The things we ask for might be rooted in motives not honoring to God; or the timing may not be right just yet.

God's "mighty power at work within us" can accomlish great things. And a job promotion or nice house might be part of that plan, but they might not. The key question is why are we asking for these things? To satisfy our greed? To give us a sense of security? Or so that we can use these opportunities and resources to reach out to those who need to know the love of God?

God can do so much more than we can imagine! It is often we who limit his ability to work through us. But God's resources are unlimited! If we can make it our life's purpose to glorify him, there's no telling what he will do with us!

"Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world's eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful." I Corinthians 1:26-27 NLT

Perhaps one of the most effective tools our enemy uses to prevent us from completing God's plans is that of Discouragement. He whispers that we are ill-equipped and unsuited to the task, inadequate and bound to be unsuccessful. And well aware of our own shortcomings and failings, we suspect the truth of the matter and bow our heads in resignation.

We compare ourselves to those who seem to have it all together. They walk with heads held confidently, poised, always speaking the right words without hesitation or doubt. These are the people God calls to his service. Not people like me.

Then it hit me: God uses frail vessels because that's all he has at his disposal. Or more precisely, God uses frail vessels because he has chosen human beings for his service, and every last one of us are fragile jars of clay. Even those who appear to be fine pottery.

In II Corinthians 4:7, Paul states: "We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile jars of clay containing this great treasure." He admits that each of us are nothing more than fragil clay jars--bound to be flawed and inadequate. I Corinthians 6 explains that this is part of God's plan: that he chose to use weak and foolish human beings, despite our inabilities, in order to prove his own power.

So don't be discouraged. We don't need to be perfect to complete God's work; we only need to be obedient.

"The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: 'Get up and go to the great city of Ninevah. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.' But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish." Jonah 1:1-3 NLT

On the one hand, there are times when we want something so desparately that we exert great energy constructing a 12-step plan to obtain it without taking the time to consult the Lord. Other times we have a clear direction and we drag our feet. We try to ignore it, avoid it, or delay responding. There are many reasons to procrastinate: fear, uncertainty, lack of interest, or just willful disobedience. None of them will bring us blessing.

Emotions cloud the issue so easily: am I being asked to wait, or am I being asked to act? When my issues are talking, I convince myself that God is telling me to wait. But God doesn't let us run away from his plans for too long before he sends a big storm to get our attention.

There are other times when I try to manipulate life by contriving all sorts of plans without praying for God's direction. These are the times that I'm supposed to be waiting for God's will to be revealed. Why do we get it so wrong? We act when we should wait, and wait when we should act!

If you are unsure about God's plan in a specific situation, set aside time daily to pray for direction. In the quiet of your soul, God will direct you. If you ask an honest question, expect an honest answer.

And with the answer comes a choice: will we buy a ticket to Tarshish or will we go where we are told?

"The Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him." Isaiah 30:18 NIV

I think there's probably a twelve-step program to accomplish any goal you desire: getting rich, finding a spouse, starting a successful business, losing weight, healing from a painful past, or recovering from an addiction. And that's not all bad.

But often we get into trouble because we feel an overwhelming need to control and direct our lives in order to bring about the fulfillment of our heart's desires. The obvious flaw with this approach is that it excludes God from the picture.

Do we really believe that the plans we've made for our lives are better than the plans God has for us? What if his plans are so amazing that our minds can't even fathom them--and we miss out because we didn't believe God would be gracious to us? One poor decision can have far reaching consequences.

When we genuinely believe that God desires to bless us, it changes everything. When we trust him with every aspect of our lives, it gives us the strength and patience to wait to see how God is going to work out the details. It empowers us to live obediently and faithfully, even as the years stretch out and the difficult times come.

Sometimes it's the waiting itself that is the greatest struggle. But don't lose heart: God longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion! And if you wait for his plans to be worked out, you will know great blessing. Don't try to take control: pray, be obedient, and wait.

"O God, I beg two favors from you: let me have them before I die. First, help me to never tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs." Proverbs 30:7-8 NLT

Confession: Sometimes I wish to be filthy rich. Imagine not having to worry if you can afford a few pleasures and luxeries from time to time. I'm sure I'm not the only one who falls into this fantasy. It's easy enough to do when we look around at others who seem to be sailing through life on a sea of money while we're scraping pennies together to cover basic expenses.

But the author of this proverb reminds us that there is more to life than wealth. His first request is to be a man of integrity. A far more worthy desire than money! The second favor he asks is to have "just enough to satisfy my needs." He explains, "For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, 'Who is the Lord?'"

Financial security strips us of something vital: the need to depend on the Lord to provide our daily bread. When we are self-sufficient, we forget that God is the source of all things. What we have is a gift from him, even if it is earned by the labor of our hands. Sometimes God blesses us with money, other times he blesses us with the opportunity to trust him.

Proverbs 28:6 tells us, "Better to be poor and honest than to be dishonest and rich." Integrity and character will be honored by the Lord. There is so much more to life than money. So let your prayer be as mine: "Give me just enough to satisfy my needs."