Trouble doesn’t mean we are out of God’s will

It was during the fourth watch of the night that Jesus walked out to them on the lake. The fourth watch was between 3 a. m. and 6 a. m., the darkest part of the night. Jesus came to them in the darkest hour. He always does. And that’s worth remembering.

The surprising thing is that Jesus actually sent the disciples into the storm! It was no surprise to him. Nor should it be to us. Often, it is only through difficulty that God accomplishes his purposes.

Usually, we tend to feel that the darkest hour is the time when Jesus is not with us. Perhaps worse, he is hard to see in the darkness, but that’s just when he is near. We can’t see him. We can’t feel him. Maybe we can’t even hear him. But he is there all the same.

Whether it is twelve noon or twelve midnight makes no difference. He is with us at noon. He is with us at dawn. He is with when the sun rises. He is with us when the sun sets. He is with us when the skies are clear. He is with us when the skies are covered with clouds. He is with us in summer. He is with us in winter. He is with us when the seas are calm; he is with us when the seas are rough.

The Lord does not deliver us from temptation but he does deliver us in temptation. The night may be dark, the storm may rage, the seas may overwhelm us, the vessel may be about to sink. All hope may be gone. But Jesus is there. And in the darkest hour when it seems that we cannot be saved, he comes to us, walking on the water.

Step by step he draws near. Step by step he approaches. Step by step he reveals himself. We cannot believe it. We thought he was safely on the shore where we last saw him. But no! Here he comes. Here he is. In the very darkest hour, he comes to us walking through the storm, brushing aside the wind and the waves, drawing near in his mighty, saving power. Hallelujah!

What next?

How does Jesus encourage us in times of (a) grief (b) failure (c) persecution (d) loneliness (e) discouragement (f) apparently unanswered prayer? Which of the following Scripture references applies best to each of these situations? (one for each). Hebrews 13:5; Lam 3:8, 21-23; Psalm 23:4; Micah 7:8; Matthew 5:11-12; Joshua 1:9.