Christ Calmed the Sea (and He'll Calm the Storms in Our Lives)

One of my favorite stories in the New Testament is when Christ calmed the sea in Mark 4.

Christ had been teaching all day from the boat while the people sat on the shores. That night, He and His disciples set sail, and Christ went to sit in the back of the boat. He fell asleep (who wouldn't after that day, am I right??).

A storm built up and the disciples were worried the ship was going to sink. They woke Christ up, who then stood up and said:

“Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm” (Mark 4:39).

I love Sister Lisa L. Harkness’ commentary on this story in her conference talk “Peace, Be Still.” She said:

"Ever the Master Teacher, Jesus then taught His disciples through two simple yet loving questions. He asked:

‘Why are ye so fearful?’

‘Where is your faith?’

There is a mortal tendency, even a temptation, when we find ourselves in the middle of trials, troubles, or afflictions to cry out, 'Master, carest thou not that I perish? Save me.' Even Joseph Smith pleaded from an awful prison, 'O God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place?'

Certainly, the Savior of the world understands our mortal limitations, for He teaches us how to feel peace and calm even when the winds blow fiercely around us and billowing waves threaten to sink our hopes.”

Sometimes I feel close to Christ one moment and then the next, I’m questioning if He’s going to show up for me again (even though He. Has. Every. Single. Time). I absolutely would have FREAKED OUT if I were on the boat during the storm.

But Christ knows that we’re mortal; He gets it. He super gets it thanks to the Atonement. And He’ll be there to calm our storms and comfort us if we reach out to Him.

Put yourself in the shoes of the disciples on that boat:

After hearing Christ teach all day, what would it have been like to see the storm get bigger? What would you have thought or said as Christ continued to sleep?