Luke – Doors Wide Open!
I had never really pondered the difference between faith and trust, but with this passage, I am beginning to understand that one leads or builds the other.
Jesus asks, “Where is your faith?” Faith is a strong belief in someone or something without logical proof. But, trust is a firm reliance on the character or integrity of another. I’ve developed a faith in God—a belief that he is able. Now, he is trying to teach me to totally and completely rely (trust) on him.
The disciples battled the storm by themselves. (Don’t judge, we do the same!) When it looked like too much to handle, they finally yelled for help of the One who was there at the creation of the sea. Or did they? They yell, “Master, we’re going to drown!” This doesn’t seem like an actual cry for help, just a acknowledgement they were all in trouble and the boat might capsize. Their small faith prevented them from asking for his help as soon as trouble loomed in the skies of storm. Most were fishermen on this sea, they could sense trouble. They relied on their own understanding to fix the problem. They trusted in themselves first. They thought they could handle this storm based on past experiences. Besides that, what would a carpenter’s son know about handling the sea?
In this short passage with great adventure, we learn that the abundant life can be ours, even when circumstances are against us, when we have faith in God who knows all and is in all. We live life well and less stressed when we trust in the One, by His character, who knows the outcomes of our temporary situations. Remember, or notice, that Jesus, son of God, is in the boat WITH the disciples. But they don’t realize the power they have. Jesus never left them alone in the storm. But He naps until they acknowledge Him. He then shows them instantly WHO he is and what he is capable of doing.
We learn from this faith lesson to trust that God is sovereign and has a purpose in every pain or fear of the unknown. We learn that if we seek his face in every situation, he will show us what he has for us. Jesus brings peace to the waves of water rolling in on top of them. We learn from this episode of Jesus’ power to be content in any and all circumstances. We learn to trust him even when it seems dangerous. We learn to turn to Jesus first and not “lean to our own understanding” of life.
We sometimes shout, “What is God doing?”, taking a nap when we are in over our heads in our own storms of life? Well, maybe a better question is how big is our faith? Who do we trust with our very lives?
Hopefully we eventually realize that he sees the entire picture—from start to finish. He has ordained all our days even before we took our first breath (Psalm 139:16). We are a masterpiece created by him to do good works that he has already prepared for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). We learn that he can do anything and no plan of his can be thwarted (Job 42:2). We learn to wait for Yahweh and put all our hope in his work (Psalm 130:5) of His making. God created all, is in all and controls all.
Luke 8, New Living Translation
Jesus Calms the Storm
22 One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and started out. 23 As they sailed across, Jesus settled down for a nap. But soon a fierce storm came down on the lake. The boat was filling with water, and they were in real danger.24 The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”
When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm. 25 Then he asked them, “Where is your faith?”
The disciples were terrified and amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “When he gives a command, even the wind and waves obey him!”
THINK ABOUT IT…
Even though we can’t fully understand his ways, even though we can’t grasp what he is doing behind the scenes, we know that he is taking everything and weaving into a beautiful mosaic for our good (Romans 8:28). He is our all-seeing, all-knowing Father who loves us so much; therefore, we can trust him. It begins with faith in him.
As difficult as it can sometimes be, isn’t it better to trust our lives to the One who can see the finished picture? Isn’t it better to trust the One who has the full perspective from beginning to end? Isn’t it better to let him fight our battles, to let him figure out how he is going to finish the work he has begun?
Faith builds trust that will last for eternity.
And I’m singing…a very old song/chorus from my past youth.
Put your hand in the hand of the man
Who stilled the water
Put your hand in the hand of the man
Who calmed the sea
Take a look at yourself
And you can look at others differently
Put your hand in the hand of the man
From Galilee, woah yeah…
Dear Heavenly Father, Lord and SaviorToday I choose to trust in You who calms the seas of trouble and teaches us in the storm. I choose to have complete faith in You alone that leads to worship of You exclusively. You are God and we are not. May we never forget Who you are and Who we belong to. Abundant living is freeing ourselves of doubt and having complete faith and trust in you. It is defying worry for worship of you. Lead us on…
In Jesus Name, Amen. I believe.
Very well done. As we learned faith is about believing in the One who is leading, trust is knowing the One who is leading you. Yes, there is a very big difference between the two.
I find it interesting that God allows the storms to mature us spiritually so our faith moves to trust and we can begin to enter into that deep intimacy with our Beloved. It is so true that when we start out our trust is completely in ‘self’. That is completely understandable and normal. However, as we step out in faith to follow Him in obedience He allows satan to blow up that storm. If we learn to resist we slowly see that He is the One providing, leading, and guiding. This takes time for the conversion from ‘self’ to spirit but as long as we are progressing everything is good and trust will grow.
As God was letting us get poor I swear I latched more on to ‘self’ to get us out than anything. Man was it hard. Funny thing was though, as we entered homelessness, we were way beyond our depth. At that point ‘self’ had not reference point so we had little choice but to trust our God. What is interesting is how He led us. What we could’t see before because of the veil of ‘self’ we could clearly see as our trust grew. It took 40 months of homelessness to drive the pylons of trust deep into the Rock but they did get driven in. Now we cannot imagine a life without Him. That reward is much greater than losing our home, possessions, friends and family.
Good word.
Blessings,
Homer Les
http://www.uncompromisingfaith.ca
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Thank you for your good comments! Thank you for reading and sharing!
Blessings on your day!
Susan Callaway
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