The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast

Is protecting your peace selfish, or is it biblical? When daily demands, stress, conflict, and constant noise leave you feeling exhausted, setting healthy boundaries can feel uncomfortable. But the Bible shows that protecting your peace can be a way to care for your spiritual well-being and reconnect with God. In Luke 5:16, Jesus regularly withdrew to quiet places to pray, demonstrating that even amid a demanding ministry, time alone with the Father mattered. Rather than allowing busyness, fear, or other people’s expectations to control your life, you can follow Jesus’ example by making room for prayer, rest, and a heart grounded in God’s presence.
Highlights
Discover why protecting your peace is biblical and how Jesus modeled solitude and prayer in Luke 5:16.

Learn how quiet time with God can restore your spirit, refocus your heart, and help you carry life’s burdens.

Explore how Jesus sleeping during a storm demonstrates trust in God even when circumstances feel frightening.

Understand how rest can become an opportunity to exercise faith rather than give in to worry.

See how Jesus’ silence before false accusations reveals the strength of responding with wisdom instead of reacting in anger.

Identify healthy boundaries that help you communicate clearly and protect your spiritual and emotional well-being.

Reflect on practical ways to reconnect with God, surrender your fears, and cultivate peace in stressful seasons.

Click to Listen to Signs of Life: UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org
Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was—and is—an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture.
UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org
Do you want to listen ad-free?
When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts!
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Full Transcript Below:
3 Reasons "Protecting Your Peace" Isn't Selfish, It's Biblical
By: Lia Girard
Bible Reading:
But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
– Luke 5:16, NIV
“Protecting my peace” is a popular saying these days. Possibly because in a world that’s developing at warp speed, peace feels harder to find, and nearly impossible to guard and honor. Sometimes “I’m protecting my peace” is the only way you and I know how to say, “I’m exhausted and can’t think straight,” or even “I need to figure out a sleep schedule.”
But beyond any scattered desires to turn down noise or declutter, protecting the gift of peace that Jesus provides is far more than simple self-care. It’s a sacred practice that invites you to experience a peace that surpasses understanding. And to help you grasp the importance of protecting this peace, here are three of many reasons Jesus modeled it in the Bible.
Jesus chose peace to reconnect with God.
Luke 5:16 says, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” This tiny-but-mighty eight-word bit of scripture proves that even God prioritizes peaceful solitude—so you can, too. Jesus encourages you to remove yourself from crowded, overstimulating, demanding places, to go somewhere alone.
Following Jesus’ example, you can use this alone time to recenter yourself and reconnect your heart to God’s will. When the only sound is your prayer or your breath, you may more easily sense his supernatural presence. Here, you can ask God to refill your empty spirit and tend to your weary soul. Protect this habit of going to a quiet place to pray, because it reminds you that you can rely on God to lift your heavy burdens.
Jesus still slept amid the storm.
If you wonder whether getting enough sleep is important for your faith journey, just look to Jesus’ example in the book of Mark. In the middle of a “furious squall” while waves careened over their boat, Mark 4:38-40 says:
Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
I love that Jesus lives out what he teaches. His burning question to disciples who were panicking and wondering if God even cares was, “Do you still have no faith?” I like to believe that this is Jesus’ best living proof of Psalm 4:8, which says, "In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety."
When you don’t allow yourself the peace of sleep because you choose to fret, you’re missing out on an opportunity to exercise your faith.
Jesus held onto the truth in silence, instead of being triggered into a fight.
In the book of Matthew, when Jesus is being cruelly and falsely accused in front of Pilate, Jesus chooses not to fight back. Matthew 27:12-14 describes the scene:
When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer.
Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?”
But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor.
In a violent and evil event such as this, Jesus knew his accusers had no genuine desire to know the truth. He knew launching into any verbal defense would not change their hearts. Remaining silent is a bold demonstration of something I always like to say to my kids: “The truth is your strength.”
Jesus demonstrates that he had no ego to defend. So he remains at peace and allows his accusers to expose their maniacal malice. He refuses to get riled up by a trial rigged against him. His silence proves that remaining peaceful is courageous protection of inner resolve.
So if you ever feel your calm getting tossed around by demands, circumstances, or lies, know that God is offering you a way out. You can choose to protect the peace he gives you.
Intersecting Faith & Life:
As you think about ways you can reconnect with God and reorient your heart toward faith (instead of fear or anger), consider these questions:
What time of day or evening can I set aside to be alone with God?
What fear am I holding tightly that I can instead place in God’s hands?
What healthy boundary can I establish for myself so that I can communicate clearly, rather than simply argue?
Further Reading:
Hebrews 13:5
John 2:24-25
Romans 12:2
Romans 12:19

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Discover how the Holy Spirit’s intercession offers hope when you feel too weary, discouraged, or heartbroken to pray. God knows you intimately and understands what you need before you can express it. Even when your only prayer is a quiet plea for help, you can trust that He is present and attentive to your pain. Learn how to bring your deepest emotions and hardest struggles to God without fear or shame, deepen your relationship with Him during difficult seasons, and rest in the assurance that you are never alone. When words fail, God’s love and the Spirit’s intercession remain.
Highlights
Understand what Romans 8:26-27 teaches about the Holy Spirit interceding for us in our weakness.

Find comfort in knowing God hears you even when you cannot find the words to pray.

Discover how the Holy Spirit helps carry your deepest needs to God when life’s trials feel overwhelming.

Remember that God remains present even when He feels distant during difficult seasons.

Learn why you can bring your deepest emotions, fears, and struggles to God without pretending to have everything together.

Find encouragement to trust God through financial stress, family difficulties, illness, and other ongoing hardships.

Reflect on what you have struggled to bring to God and take a step toward Him in honest, heartfelt prayer.

Click to Listen to Signs of Life: UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org
Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was—and is—an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture.
UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org
Do you want to listen ad-free?
When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts!
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Full Transcript Below:
The Lord Intercedes for Us
By: Michelle Lazurek
Bible Reading:
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” - Romans 8:26-27
It was a summer of trial. It was one thing after another, with no end in sight. My husband and I prayed together and clung to God's promises. We read the Word and hoped God would lessen the trials and be a little more merciful. But it never stopped. My husband’s income became volatile. My daughter’s car died, right after her hours were dramatically reduced at her job. My son moved away with no opportunity to see him in the near future. It was all too much. For several months afterward, trials kept coming hard and fast; they were actually comical. Each week brought something new to our home that we had to fix. One night, as I got into bed, I considered praying. However, I had no words to pray.
Instead, I repeated the word “help” in my mind. The tears streamed down my face and onto my pillow; I remembered this verse in that moment. This is what it's like for the Holy Spirit to intervene for us with wordless groans. The Spirit knows exactly what we need even when we cannot articulate or formulate the words to pray in an intelligible language. When I’ve been in so much pain due to illness, I’ll groan to find relief from the pain. This is why the Spirit groans—to help find us relief from our pain.
The good news is that because God knows us intimately and knows everything about us, he already knows what we need before we express it. The genius of the gospel is that we don't need to have the right words or say exactly what we need to express. Even when we don't pray and ask for exactly what we need, the Holy Spirit’s love and omniscience carry our requests to His ears.
Isn’t it nice to know we don’t have to have it all together to have an intimate relationship with God? We have all gone through difficult trials in our lives. But some seasons seem harder than others. When it feels as if God is being relentless and allowing trials to transform our character, we can take solace in knowing that we don't need to pray the right words—or even pray any words at all. All we need to do is come to the Spirit with a contrite heart, and he will do the rest.
Is there something that you have not taken the time to pray for?
Is there something that you've not brought to God because it's simply too difficult for you to express? Perhaps you have a wayward child, a difficult relationship, or some other hardship that is preventing you from having an intimate relationship with God. Everyone goes through dry spiritual times. Simply because God feels distant does not mean he is. Instead, he is always present with us. Even if we cannot feel his presence, we can take comfort in knowing he is with us, knows exactly what we need, and his Spirit intercedes for us.
Don’t be afraid to bring to God your deepest, darkest feelings. It is not unknown to God. In fact, it is downright silly to hide our deepest feelings from God because he knows us so intimately—he even knows how many hairs are on our heads! God wants us to come to him with our feelings because he loves us. He never asks us to be perfect to be a part of God’s kingdom.
Father, thank you for knowing us intimately. Thank you for sending your Spirit to be our advocate, even in times of great trial. Take comfort in knowing that you are interceding for us with groans that only God can hear and understand. Remind us that God will answer our deepest groanings. Amen.
Intersecting Faith & Life:
What is an area of your life that you have difficulty bringing to God? Take a moment to bring it to Him now.
Further Reading:
Matthew 26:49
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How do you overcome fear and anxiety when something frightening or uncertain happens? Whether you’re worried about your health, struggling with work stress, facing relationship challenges, or fearing for someone you love, anxious thoughts can quickly replace peace with panic. Isaiah 41:10 offers a powerful reminder that you don’t have to face frightening circumstances alone: God promises to be with you, strengthen you, help you, and uphold you. When fear threatens to take control, His presence gives you a place to turn for comfort, courage, and hope.
Highlights
What Isaiah 41:10 teaches about trusting God when fear and uncertainty overwhelm you

How fear can affect your thoughts, emotions, and ability to experience God’s peace

Practical ways to respond to anxiety about work, health, family, and relationships through prayer and faith

Why you don’t have to face frightening circumstances or difficult decisions in your own strength

How remembering God’s past faithfulness can strengthen your confidence in His promises

Ways to redirect fearful thoughts by focusing on Scripture, prayer, and God’s constant presence

Reflection questions to help you identify your biggest fears and learn to place your worries in God’s hands

Click to Listen to Signs of Life: UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org
Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was—and is—an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture.
UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org
Do you want to listen ad-free?
When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts!
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Full Transcript Below:
What to Do When Fear Knocks on Your Door
By: Whitney Hopler
Bible Reading:
“Do not be afraid – I am with you! I am your God – let nothing terrify you! I will make you strong and help you; I will protect you and save you.” – Isaiah 41:10, GNT
When my husband Russ called me from his hotel room in China, fear started to creep up in my mind. Russ was traveling alone on a business trip, waiting for a Monday meeting, when he told me he was feeling sick and wasn’t sure where to find medical care in a country where he didn’t speak the language. I urged him to ask someone at his hotel’s front desk for help, but before I could even finish my sentence, he said he had to lie down – and then our phone call got cut off. Try as I might, I couldn’t get back in touch with him. Immediately, fear knocked on my door, filling my mind with terrifying thoughts that Russ could die all alone halfway across the world. As I felt overwhelming fear, I had a choice: either give in to panic or turn to God. I chose to respond with prayer and trust by letting go of my worries and placing my husband into the hands of God, who was right there with him in that hotel room.
Fear has a way of showing up unexpectedly and uninvited. It demands your complete attention, trying to distract you from God’s love and replace your peace with panic. When fear knocks on your door, it wants to control your thoughts and feelings so much that you may be convinced you’re helpless against fear. But you don’t have to open the door to fear and let it take over your life. You have a powerful, loving Heavenly Father who promises to stand with you through every scary situation, no matter how intimidating the situation appears to be.
Where does fear knock on the door of your life and try to creep in?
Maybe it happens at work, where you face the threat of layoffs, a stressful workload, or a high-stakes project that you don’t know how to handle well. Fear might tell you that your future at your job is ruined. You can overcome that fear with faith by remembering that God is your ultimate provider. Instead of letting panic control your workday, you can take well-being breaks throughout the day to pray, asking God to give you what you need and guide you to the best opportunities.
Or, maybe fear knocks when it comes to your health or the health of someone you love. A troubling symptom or an agonizing wait for test results can make your world feel like it’s spinning out of control. When anxious thoughts of fear creep into your mind, you can fight back with faith by fighting anxiety with God’s help. You can choose to place your body and your loved ones into God’s compassionate hands, since God is the ultimate healer and he cares.
Your relationships can also bring overwhelming fear into your life. You might be terrified of losing a marriage, dealing with a broken friendship, or worrying constantly about your children. When you feel powerless to fix a person or a situation, fear tries to convince you to hold on tighter out of desperation. But if you have faith that God will help you in scary relationship situations, you can overcome that fear and let go for your well-being and the well-being of everyone involved.
God doesn’t expect you to face these scary situations in your own human strength. In Isaiah 41:10, God reminds you that you never have to be afraid because he’s always right beside you. He promises to make you strong, help you, protect you, and save you!
So, when fear tries to distract you, redirect your focus back to God’s promises. Talk to God in prayer and trust God to do everything he promises to do in this powerful verse. No matter how scary it is when fear knocks on your door, you never have to fight the battle alone.
Intersecting Faith & Life:
As you consider how to respond when fear knocks on your door, reflect on these questions:
What’s the biggest fear knocking on the door of your life right now?
In what ways does fear usually try to pull your attention away from God?
How can you let go of your current worries and place them into God’s hands to help you with those situations?
What’s one past experience where God proved he keeps his promises by helping you through a scary situation?
How can you remind yourself of God’s powerful presence with you whenever you start to feel overwhelmed by fear?
Further Reading:
Psalm 56:3
2 Timothy 1:7
Psalm 23:4
Philippians 4:6-7
Joshua 1:9
Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Instead of preparing your heart for disappointment by always imagining the worst, you can learn to approach uncertainty with faith and biblical hope. God’s promises remind you that He remains present in difficult circumstances and can bring good from situations you don’t understand. Through prayer, Scripture, and intentionally shifting your thoughts toward what God can do, you can begin to break cycles of anxious thinking and find greater peace in the present. Discover how to replace fearful expectations with hope, trust God with your future, and encourage others through the joy and peace He provides.
Highlights
What anticipatory anxiety is and how worrying about what might happen can affect your peace

How Romans 15:13 encourages believers to trust God for joy, peace, and overflowing hope

Why expecting the worst can become a habit—and how to begin choosing hope instead

How biblical promises like Romans 8:28 can help you trust God when you cannot control the outcome

What David’s confidence in Psalm 27:13 teaches us about expecting to see God’s goodness during difficult times

Practical ways to use Scripture and prayer to redirect anxious thoughts and strengthen your hope

How trusting the God of hope can help you experience greater peace and encourage others through your faith

Click to Listen to Signs of Life: UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org
Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was—and is—an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture.
UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org
Do you want to listen ad-free?
When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts!
Sign Up Today!
Full Transcript Below:
Focus on the Best That Could Happen Instead of the Worst
By: Lia Girard
Bible Reading:
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
– Romans 15:13, NIV
I wish I were the only one who struggles with what a former counselor of mine called “anticipatory anxiety” or “feeling physical and mental consequences from something that hasn’t happened yet or might not happen at all.” But if this were true, and I was the only person prone to overthinking and overstressing, there wouldn’t be so many reminders in the Bible to “cast our cares,” and “not worry,” and “fear not.”
The one who made each one of us knows that fearing what might not even happen can upset anyone’s equilibrium. This inclination to auto-traumatize potential outcomes can dig a familiar rut. I’ve even heard people say it feels safer or more comfortable to “not get their hopes up.”
But what if it were just as possible... to be intentionally hopeful?
What if you and I could decide, in the middle of our rising fear and discomfort, to always ask, “What’s the best that could happen?” Instead of expecting the worst—because we’re trying to dull any disappointment we might endure if hopes are dashed—there’s also the biblical option to believe in better days ahead. Even to expect miracles.
You see, even though David was cornered by enemies who were plotting to destroy him, he proclaims in Psalm 27:13—
I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Here’s the reality: you can’t control everything. But you can control your own choices. You can choose to trust Romans 8:28, which promises, “God works all things together for the good of those who love Him.” And as you trust in God’s ability to bring forth good things from all of our combined circumstances, you can also give yourself this valuable pep talk found in Romans 15:13—
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Are you noticing the energy in this verse? Not just “fill you with a bit of joy” or even “fill you to the brim.” But to fill you with all joy and peace so that you overflow with hope. This kind of experience can transform your day, and even inspire others to choose hope, too. Best of all, none of this is accomplished by your power alone. When you trust in God, the power of the Holy Spirit can generate hope in such abundance that it spills out into your own and others’ lives.
Pay attention here, too, to who fills you with joy and peace. Not your work plan or your accomplishments. Not your bestie or your spouse. The one who provides the joy and peace you need is the God of hope.
It becomes clear, after parsing through Romans 15:13, that your only part is to trust in him. Trust in all his promises, such as Jeremiah 29:11—
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
This is yours to claim, too. God wrote you a love letter so you would tuck what is possible, divine, and true in your heart and know it well. Especially during times you may feel tempted to look for the worst possible outcome, instead of what his goodness can make happen. Why not try it today? After all, what’s the best that could happen?
Intersecting Faith & Life:
Knowing that God desires you to feel hopeful rather than fearful can help pull you out of the rut we all get stuck in sometimes. Try writing down or memorizing verses like these during challenging times:
Isaiah 40:31: Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Hebrews 6:19: We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.
Ephesians 3:20: Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.
Further Reading:
Looking Back with Gratitude, Looking Ahead with Hope – The Crosswalk Devotional
A Prayer to Not Fret in Confusing Times – Your Daily Prayer
Hope Bible Verses – biblestudytools.com

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

God doesn’t always provide immediate relief, but His presence and power remain constant even when life feels out of control. When you’re facing uncertainty, remembering how God has carried you through past hardships can strengthen your faith and help you trust Him with today’s struggles. Rather than focusing only on when your circumstances will change, you can grow closer to Jesus by learning who He is and relying on His strength. Discover how to find peace amid anxiety, trust God when answers seem delayed, and build a resilient faith that holds firm through life’s fiercest storms.
Highlights
What Jesus calming the storm in Mark 4:41 teaches us about His power and authority

Why God doesn’t always provide immediate relief when we face fear, anxiety, and difficult circumstances

How life’s storms can reveal doubts and strengthen our understanding of who Jesus truly is

Why remembering God’s faithfulness in past struggles can help you trust Him through present challenges

How to rely on Christ for lasting peace instead of depending only on changes in your circumstances

Why God can use difficult seasons to deepen your faith, develop perseverance, and strengthen your spiritual foundation

Practical ways to turn to Jesus in moments of fear and find comfort in His unchanging character and presence

Click to Listen to Signs of Life: UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org
Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was—and is—an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture.
UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org
Do you want to listen ad-free?
When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts!
Sign Up Today!
Full Transcript Below:
Encountering the God Able to Calm Our Fiercest Storms
By: Jennifer Slattery
Bible Reading:
They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” - Mark 4:41
Often, when difficulties hit, I want immediate rescue. In the past, when God didn’t respond as I’d hoped, I tended to feel frustrated or abandoned. At times, I even accused Him of ignoring me when I most needed Him. Yet, looking back on our history, I’m able to see how often He used my most challenging circumstances for my good: to liberate me from a harmful behavior, heal a wound, or deepen my faith.
While I occasionally still slip into old, panicked responses, this after-event realization strengthens my soul. I’m better able to pause and reflect on all the times He’s rescued me from past storms and what this reveals regarding His power, nature, and heart. I increasingly go from, “Who is this God, who commands even the winds and waves,” to, “This is the One who holds all of Creation, myself included, in His hands.”
In the passage surrounding today’s verse, Jesus was teaching the disciples this same truth. This was relatively early in His earthly ministry, and therefore early in His relationship with these men who chose to abandon whatever dreams and goals they held previously because they believed He offered something better.
Although they didn’t yet understand what that meant, and in fact, were operating on false assumptions that kept them from knowing and therefore trusting in Christ’s true nature. They’d accepted Him as the long-promised Messiah, yet their comprehension of what that meant, and what He came to do, remained far too small. They wanted temporary solutions and comfort and freedom from circumstantial oppression (largely, at the hands of the Romans and the religious elite).
But Jesus was doing a much deeper work that would anchor them through all of life’s hardships. And He used the storm recorded in Mark 4 to do so by first making them aware of their need and the fear this evoked.
Consider, He timed His rescue intentionally, with His loving gaze focused on the work He was doing in their souls. He allowed them to feel the full weight of the situation, not out of callousness or rebuke, but rather to allow the doubts and lies lurking in their souls to rise to their awareness.
Imagine if your doctor knew how to give you medication without you realizing it for an illness you didn’t know you had. This would affect you physically, in preventing whatever distress you might experience as your disease progressed, but it wouldn’t deepen your trust in his care. If anything, that might convince you that you didn’t need his intervention. In contrast, your confidence in him is likely to significantly increase if the successful treatment comes after you’ve felt the full weight of your condition and your longing for relief.
Jesus could’ve easily prevented the storm recorded in Mark 4. He could’ve had the disciples wait to enter that boat until after it passed, or never asked them to cross the lake in the first place.
But then, they never would’ve reached the place where they exclaimed, with awestruck amazement, “Who is this Man who holds authority over even the wind and waves?!”
Again, they knew, before climbing into the boat, that He was the long-promised Messiah. They didn’t realize, however, how insufficient their view of Him in that role was. He was providing an expanded and much more faith-anchoring perspective. To stand strong for all that lay ahead, they needed to recognize Him as more than the Father’s chosen servant or yet another divinely empowered prophet. They needed to see Him as He truly was, and is, God the Son, Co-Creator, in human form.
Through the storm, He also forced them to confront a core need for safety, which only He could fully meet. In this, He was teaching them to rely on Him, rather than themselves, which ultimately positioned them for strength.
Notice, also, His rescue didn’t arrive a moment too late. When all hope seemed lost, and all their fighting against the external chaos left them physically and emotionally spent, He arose and brought enduring, supernatural calm.
This helped develop their endurance and inner grit. The next time they landed in a terrifying situation, they could look back on how He’d carried them through that frightening night and trust that He could, and would, do so again.
Intersecting Life & Faith:
God doesn’t change. The same Savior who remained with the disciples in their fear remains with us in ours as well. The same Messiah who knew precisely when to calm the winds and waves understands when our rescue will impact us most as well. His delays might feel frustrating, and at times, deeply unsettling, and that’s okay. He understands our overwhelm, and He longs to comfort us in today’s challenges. But He does so with His gaze fixed on building a faith that, progressively, brings lasting peace.
We reach that place, in part, by turning to Him in crisis, asking for the help we need, but also reminding ourselves of the heart and ways of the One providing it. Because of that, not circumstantial relief is how we develop the rock-solid faith that allows us to thrive, regardless of what life throws at us.
This is a topic with which I’m highly passionate, because it has provided me more relief in my anxiety than temporary “rescue” ever has. And, to build these important truths into my soul, I spent much of August discussing some of God’s most comforting divine attributes. I invite you to peruse my Instagram page to glean from some of those reels and posts. Just Google my name, Jennifer Slattery, to find me and more of my faith-building content.

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.