Storms

Why does God allow storms in our lives?  It’s easy when things are going well to talk about God preparing us, making us stronger/wiser/more faithful in the storms, but when we’re actually in the storm its pretty annoying to be told it’s for our own good!

In Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus calms a storm (click here to read it).  Doesn’t He calm the storm today?  What about my storm?  Yes, He did calm the storm.  But I’m afraid the question misses the point.  In fact, the same observation can be made of many of Jesus miracles.  Jesus healed the man born blind, why does blindness continue, even for the devoutest of Christian believers?  Lazarus was raised from the dead.  Can’t Jesus bring back my loved one?

Jesus did not calm the storm to make everyone’s life easy.  In fact, storms continued, and continue to this day on the Sea of Galilee, and virtually everywhere else.  Jesus’ miracles were primarily about demonstrating who He is.  We can trust the one who made the world to handle whatever storm may come.

The miracles of Jesus are not promises that we, too, will receive the same miracles, but that we can trust the one who can to lead us through the storm to his purposes.  In fact, after He calmed the storm, Jesus asked rhetorically, “Why are you afraid?  Have you still no faith?”  The implication is that the disciples should not have been frightened by the storm — they can trust the one who created all to lead them through the storm!

This column appeared in the June 20, 2021 edition of St. John’s eNews. Click here for the complete issue.

If you are reading this at a different time, you may click here for the current eNews.