Jesus was sleeping.
Matthew 8:24b
Have you ever gone through a time in your life when it seemed that God was “sleeping” or perhaps so far off you could not reach him? Many Christians experience dry spells from time to time. They experience the sense of being adrift in a spiritual wilderness, “apart from God.” Even giants of the faith confess to this sense of abandonment. In one opinion piece, Mother Teresa is described thus: “But there's another aspect of Mother Teresa's life that is slowly coming into focus: her struggles with faith. She spent a long period of her life — decades, in fact — struggling with faith, losing the presence of God, and even believing that she didn't believe in God, as she wrote in many pained, distressed, poignant letters that were only released after her death. The unknown writer goes on to say, “She spent decades living in doubt, but still she persevered.”
As they sat in a boat that seemed like it was about to capsize, the disciples had a crisis of faith. They looked at Jesus and saw that he “was sleeping,” and they were afraid. At that point, they thought that Jesus was unaware of their plight. This is how we feel when we face a storm (a trial), and it appears God is absent or oblivious to our plight and pain. We experience a crisis of faith with many asking, “How can God be all-powerful and yet seem so far off when I am experiencing a threatening or painful situation?” Elijah, Moses, Hannah and many others felt the same way. However, it was just a feeling. Painful-yes, factual-no!
Our God is not just Omnipotent but also Omnipresent and Omniscient. He is everywhere; he sees all and knows all. Perhaps because he was fully man, Jesus was physically tired and needed rest. Chances are that because he was the Son of God and he had such an intimate relationship and knowledge of God’s character, he was able to rest amid the storm fully trusting in God’s care. That takes utter and complete faith! It is this kind of faith that conquers fear. God calls us to pursue intimacy with him, just as Jesus did, so that in times of “storm(s)” we might find rest in him. As the Psalmist says, “Be still and know that he is God (Psalm 46:10)” over any storm.
Whatever you are dealing with; whatever comes your way, God is your ever-present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1-3). Persevere in him as many saints of old persevered before us. As trials arise, let us remind ourselves that God is our rock and refuge, an ever-present help in trouble. Amen!