Lord, Can You Just Calm the Storm?

Last night, during our Bible study in Jonah, someone made an interesting observation. He suggested that perhaps instead of asking God to take us out of life's storms, we should be praying that God would teach us something through them.

There is certainly biblical wisdom in that thought. God does use difficulties to shape us, strengthen our faith, and draw us closer to Him.

But as I thought about that statement, another question came to mind.

Is there anything wrong with simply wanting the storm to end?

After all, we're human. When life becomes overwhelming, when circumstances seem unbearable, when uncertainty keeps us awake at night, our natural response is to cry out for relief.

And I wonder if sometimes we make the Christian life more complicated than Scripture actually does.

Not Every Storm Is the Same

Consider Jonah.

Jonah found himself in a violent storm because he was running from God's clear command. The storm was God's intervention in the life of a disobedient prophet.

But consider the disciples in Mark 4.

They also found themselves in a terrifying storm. Yet unlike Jonah, they were exactly where Jesus had told them to be!

One storm came in the context of disobedience. The other came in the context of obedience.

That distinction matters.

Sometimes our difficulties are consequences of our own choices. Sometimes they are opportunities for spiritual growth. And sometimes storms come simply because we live in a fallen world.

We must be careful not to assume that every storm is God trying to teach us a particular lesson or correct something we have done wrong.

Even Paul Asked for Relief

In 2 Corinthians 12, the apostle Paul pleaded with God three times to remove his thorn in the flesh.

Three times!

God did not remove it. Instead, He reminded Paul that His grace was sufficient and that His power was made perfect in weakness.

But notice something important.

Paul was not wrong for asking.

God had a purpose in allowing Paul's suffering to continue, but that didn't make Paul's desire for relief spiritually immature.

And then consider Jesus Himself.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, facing the suffering of the cross, Jesus prayed that, if possible, the cup might pass from Him.

Yet He also prayed, "Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will" (Matthew 26:39).

What an incredible picture of faith.

Jesus expressed His desire to avoid suffering while remaining completely surrendered to His Father's will.

Perhaps that is what we need to understand about prayer.

Faith Doesn't Mean We Enjoy the Storm

James tells us that trials produce steadfastness. Romans reminds us that suffering can produce endurance, character, and hope.

These are wonderful promises.

But neither passage tells us that we must enjoy suffering or refuse to ask God for deliverance.

In fact, Psalm 107 describes people crying out to the Lord in their trouble, and God delivering them by calming the storm.

Sometimes God calms the storm.

Sometimes He carries us through it.

And sometimes He uses the storm to redirect our lives in ways we could never have imagined.

But in every circumstance, we can trust His character.

So How Should We Pray?

Perhaps instead of choosing between asking God for deliverance and asking Him for spiritual growth, we should pray for both.

"Father, I don't want to be in this storm. If it is Your will, please bring it to an end. But while I am here, teach me to trust You. Strengthen my faith. Help me remain obedient, even when I don't understand what You are doing."

That seems to me to be a thoroughly biblical prayer.

After all, our relationship with God isn't built upon pretending that life's difficulties don't hurt. It is built upon trusting the One who loves us even when life doesn't make sense.

And perhaps the greatest lesson isn't always what we learn about ourselves in the storm.

Perhaps the greatest lesson is what we discover about the God who is with us in it.

So yes, ask God what He wants you to learn.

But don't be afraid to ask Him to calm the storm, either.

Because faith isn't refusing to ask God for deliverance.

Faith is trusting Him with the answer.

Something to think about: If Jesus Himself prayed for the cup of suffering to pass from Him, why would we believe that asking God to remove our suffering demonstrates a lack of faith?