Storms of Perfection

Storms of Perfection

Raising our sons was a delight, a privilege, an honor, a battle.  Often, we found ourselves in the midst of a storm of correction, as we fought to bend our children’s behavior towards sensitivity to God, His ways, and His words.  Occasionally, in that battle, we found ourselves engulfed by a storm of perfection, as we tried to teach the boys a lesson of character during difficult times.

Our sons are both talented and gifted athletes, one earning all-state honors in Texas and the other winning a scholarship to play football in college.  However, I remember, distinctly, seasons in each of their lives, on a losing team or on a team where a coach gave them little playing time.  Each of them wanted to walk away.  I, secretly, wanted to let them, but only after I had seen the coaches and explained to them the error of their ways. 

When our younger son applied for admission to several medical schools, prior to receive acceptance letters from others, I wanted private sessions with the admissions boards of those who had the audacity to fail to see my son’s gifts and talents.  What I did, though, after dying to my fleshly impulses, was to turn to God for His strength and His comfort, obeying His direction in Psalm 46:10 to be still and know that He is God.

They, in turn, learned that Mom and Dad can’t always fix everything.  Sometimes, God’s plans are not what we think they should be.  How often have we said, I could get through this if I just knew what God is doing.  I am reminded of Noah, sitting in the ark for a year without hearing a fresh word from the Lord.  Yet, Genesis 8:1 says God remembered Noah.  The entire time that Noah was closed in the ark, God was moving upon the earth and preparing it for Noah and his family.  The fact that we cannot see what God is doing does not negate that God is! 

As mentioned in the previous article, when difficult times come, we immediately assume we have to stop doing something, go to church more, or that God is displeased with us.  However, not all storms are like the storm of correction in Noah’s life.  Occasionally, we find ourselves in a storm and, after much prayer and submission to the Holy Spirit, we still cannot understand the purpose.  We can’t put our finger on a reason for the storm; we can’t identify an unconfessed sin; we only know that the tempest around us is raging.  Sometimes, the tempest comes in illness, financial loss, a child’s rebellion.  We find ourselves feeling hopeless, fearful, and vulnerable.

Those can be the storms of perfection that God allows into our lives to shape us, strengthen us, and purify us as we serve Him.  In Matthew 8:18, there is a wonderful example of a storm of perfection.  Jesus had been busy healing a man with leprosy, the centurion’s servant, Peter’s mother-in-law, and many others.  His disciples had seen the miracles, knew His power, and followed Him.  That evening, they came to the Sea of Galilee.  Jesus boarded a boat and His disciples followed.  His flesh weary with physical exhaustion, Jesus fell asleep.  As the boat made its way in darkness toward the other side, a storm arose.  The disciples feared for their very lives, waking Jesus and ask if He cared that they were all about to drown.  Can you imagine?  Jesus Christ had been born to die for the sins of the disciples, as well as for yours and mine, and the disciples dared to ask Him if He cared about them.

Jesus is so Jesus, and I am so imperfect!  He arose from His sleep, comforted the disciples, and rebuked the storm.  I, on the other hand, would have rebuked the disciples and not worried about the storm.  Jesus, however, loves us, in spite of our frailties.  He encouraged the disciples and stopped the storm.  Why?  Why were the disciples in the middle of a storm, anyway?  Had they done anything wrong?  Was there unconfessed sin in their lives?  No, according to verse 23, they were in that boat, in the middle of the storm, for one reason:  They had followed Jesus.  Sometimes, in life, you may find yourself in the middle of a storm, not because of disobedience, as with Jonah, but because of obedience.  If you take a stand for Christ at work, with your children, or making a decision to follow God’s leading, the prince of this air, the evil one, will not like it.  He makes sure to send storms your way to cause doubt, fear, and distrust.  However, Jesus never leaves you, and He stands ready to quiet your heart and still the storm.

Is there a storm in your life that seems about to destroy you?  Have you examined your heart for disobedience and found none?  Then, turn to your Lord Jesus and cry unto Him to still the storm.  He is there, and He really does care. 

© 2011 Gerry Sisk

(04/27/11)