“Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!’” (Matthew 8:23–25 NIV)

The film The Perfect Storm tells the story of an actual storm off the coast of Massachusetts in 1991—in fact, the strongest storm in recorded history. This so-called perfect storm was the result of three storms that combined into one, creating an almost apocalyptic situation in the Atlantic Ocean. Two existing storms were hit by a hurricane, ironically dubbed Hurricane Grace. The combination of these three weather elements produced a monstrous, two-thousand-mile-wide hurricane that triggered one-hundred-foot waves.

In Matthew 8 we find a story of Jesus’ disciples facing what could be described as a Hurricane Grace of their own. We are told that Jesus “got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping” (verses 23–24 NIV).

Notice that verse 23 says, “His disciples followed him” (NIV). And where did that lead? Right into a storm. This storm came because the disciples obeyed the Lord, not because they disobeyed Him. Sometimes when troubles come, we say that it’s a result of disobedience. But it may be that the storm is a result of obedience.

God can use the storms in our lives to accomplish His purposes. As the saying goes, the same hammer that shatters glass also forges steel. Sometimes it seems as though it would be better if we never went through a storm. We think life always should be easy. But there are things we learn in storms. There are things we learn in hardships and crises that we don’t learn anywhere else.

For one thing, we learn what we’re capable of—or, more specifically, what God is capable of, working through us. Until we’re faced with a crisis, we can only guess at our potential. In the eye of the storm, our potential is realized. We expand our concept of what our faith can accomplish.

For another, we learn what genuine dependency on God feels like. Many people approach the Christian faith cautiously. They’re not as apt as Peter to jump out of a boat onto a choppy sea to walk with Jesus. Instead, they prefer to keep at least one foot in their comfort zone. Storms have a way of obliterating our comfort zone. We have no choice but to rely completely on God.

And for another, we learn how to help others who are struggling. Our storm-tossed struggles give us experience and legitimacy. Instead of offering sympathy, we can offer empathy. We can be valuable to others because we know what they need.

Where there are no trials in life, there are no triumphs. God has His purposes in the storms. And just as Jesus was with His disciples, He will be with us, too.

Reflection question: What have you learned from storms in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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“O our God, won’t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help.” (2 Chronicles 20:12 NLT)

Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, was in trouble. The armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir had joined forces to attack their common enemy, Judah. Military strategy, no matter how brilliant or daring, would not be able to overcome the size differential of the fighting forces. The armies that were descending on Judah had the potential to annihilate.

King Jehoshaphat recognized that this was no time for false bravado. All he could do was pray and trust in God’s mercy and strength. In 2 Chronicles 20, we find him standing with his men, along with their families and children, praying, “O our God, won’t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help” (verse 12 NLT).

God’s answer came through Jahaziel, one of the men standing with the king. “This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s” (verse 15 NLT).

I love that scene. Humanly speaking, it is a picture of weakness. King Jehoshaphat was saying, in effect, “Lord, here we are. We have the kids. We have an army coming toward us. What am I going to do here? Our eyes are on You.” That is a good thing to pray. God answered Jehoshaphat’s prayer, intervened, and rescued the people of Judah.

In the New Testament, we read of a time when there was a storm at sea, and the disciples were calling out to God for help. Jesus finally showed up, walking toward them on the water. He had arrived during the fourth watch of the night, which is the last part of the night, right before the sun begins to rise. Technically, it’s the morning, but it still feels like it’s night.

This means the disciples had been toiling at sea for hours, trying to get through that storm, and Jesus came along at the last possible moment. The point is that He did come to them. And He will do the same for you and me. He always will—when the time is right. We need to just trust Him.

God’s reckoning of time is much more accurate than ours is. He is eternal. He can see past, present, and future with perfect clarity. He knows the ripple effect of every action. He also knows how to bring good from any situation. He is the perfect Consultant—One who wants only the best for us and knows when and how that best can be achieved.

Remember this: He loves us with an everlasting love. That love is not fickle. That love doesn’t change. That love is persistent. That love is consistent. We are loved by God.

Reflection question: When have you experienced God’s amazing timing? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

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“When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.” (Isaiah 43:2–3 NLT)

Have you ever gone through a hard time and wondered where God was? I can tell you where He was: He was right there with you. Not only that, but He will be with you tomorrow and the day after. And He will be with you on the day you leave this earth for Heaven.

In Isaiah 43:2–3, God says, “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior” (NLT).

You’ll notice that He doesn’t say, “I will keep you in the shallow end.” He doesn’t say, “I will make sure that you stay on the riverbank.” He doesn’t say, “I will keep you a safe distance from the fire.” God doesn’t promise comfort. The paths He lays out for us aren’t always smooth and level. He doesn’t guarantee a life free from failure, devastation, pain, anxiety, loneliness, or doubt. He guarantees that you will never face any of those things alone. You will never have to rely solely on your own strength to endure any of them.

The psalmist David wrote, “Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me” (Psalm 23:4 NLT). God is with you. He will be with you. You don’t have to fear evil. God will be with you on your good days and on your bad days. He will be with you in your grief of a lost loved one and in your joy of a baby’s birth.

You don’t have to be afraid. Jesus said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you” (Hebrews 13:5 NLT). Also, the Bible tells us, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 NLT). There will never come a time when He changes His mind and leaves you.

Sometimes when we pray, it may seem as though God is late in answering. Sometimes when God comes through for us, it is later than we expected. God is never late. His delays are delays of love. Even God’s silence can be a silence of love. He wants us to pour our hearts out to Him. He will enter into that pain with us. He will answer in the way He chooses. Call on Him.

Reflection question: What does it mean to you that God is always present in the midst of pain, suffering, and struggle? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast

Become a Harvest Partner

Support the show: https://harvest.org/support

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.