When God seems to be sleeping on the job

“Don’t you care LORD THAT WE ARE GOING TO DIE?”

This was the thought of the 12 disciples of Jesus when they were out on the lake.

“And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the board, so that it was already filling.

But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, ‘Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?’

Then He arose and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.

But He said to them, ‘Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?'” (Mark 4:37-40)

There are times when things are looking so bad that we may say to God, “Don’t you care that we are dying?” “God, don’t you care that my world is falling apart?” And God just seems to be indifferent, like He is sleeping and paying no attention to the trouble.

Looking at it naturally, these disciples had every reason to talk like this. They were professional fishermen, they knew how bad the storm was and the boat was filling up with water. Jesus was sleeping! How could you sleep through something like that?!?

Have you ever doubted that God cares for you, when your situation is really terrible? You are not alone. But this story illustrates some things for us.

1. If God is with us (and He promises to never forsake his people), then He WILL eventually step in, if need be, and speak a word to change our circumstances. So with God we can dwell in security through anything, if our trust in Him is established.

2. God is not worried about our troubles. They are not taking Him by surprise. He can turn any situation around in a heartbeat. Jesus was sleeping in the boat. He wasn’t worrying.

3. There comes a time to rebuke the situation and command winds to cease. Though God can do this for us, Jesus taught us that we also can speak to mountains and change circumstances, if we have faith in our hearts and do not doubt (Mark 11:23).

4. Jesus is not pleased with us panicking, even though it would be a very natural reaction. To panic is to doubt that God is in control for good. “Why are you so fearful?” The presence of Jesus with us means that no negative or threatening circumstance is an acceptable ground for fear.

5. Jesus had already said, “Let us cross over to the other side” (Mark 4:35). The things that the Lord has told us to do and complete are an indication that He will do what it takes to get us from where we are to where we need to be to finish the job he gave us.

Try to remember these things the next time things are really bad in your life. Because trouble eventually comes to all of us, lets seek to be prepared.