"He spake many things Unto them in Parables"

Have you ever had to endure a storm of life?
Something that knocked the breath out of you, tore at your heart, made you feel as if you would be crushed beneath the weight of it?

Maybe you are right now.

Most of us have experienced this to some degree .

There was a night when Christ and his disciples found themselves caught in a terrible storm in the dark in the middle of the sea, "insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves." The disciples were afraid for their very lives. "They were filled with fear and were in danger." Terrified.

Christ, "was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow." The disciples ran to him pleading for help. "Master, carest not that we perish?!" And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, "Peace, be still." And the wind ceased.

And then the scriptures tell us what followed the storm:
A gift from the Master to his  frightened disciples. A gift that could only be received once they had remembered to turn to him - "and there was a great calm."

 

Once the disciples had calmed they could be taught. Christ gently asks, "Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?" (Mark 4:35-41, Luke 8:23-24 with JST)

The disciples had forgotten that Christ had directed them on this journey. That is the only reason they were there in the first place. And they had never been alone for even a second. Christ had been right there with them the whole time. Fear had replaced faith.

 

It is so easy to let fear in. To feel alone. To feel like Christ is asleep to what is happening in our lives.

Even prophets feel like this sometimes. Joseph Smith and several of his companions had for months been held prisoner in the jail at Liberty, Missouri. Their petitions and appeals directed to the executive officers and the judiciary had failed to bring them relief. Joseph was in despair. He had done all he could do on his own. He cried to the Lord for help. Pleading.

 

1 O God, ^awhere art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy ^bhiding place?

2 ^aHow long shall thy hand be stayed, and thine eye, yea thy pure eye, behold from the eternal heavens the wrongs of thy people and of thy servants, and thine ear be penetrated with their cries?

3 Yea, O Lord, ^ahow long shall they suffer these wrongs and unlawful ^boppressions, before thine heart shall be softened toward them, and thy bowels be moved with ^ccompassion toward them?

4 O Lord God ^aAlmighty, maker of ^bheaven, earth, and seas, and of all things that in them are, and who controllest and subjectest the devil, and the dark and benighted dominion of Sheol—stretch forth thy hand; let thine eye pierce; let thy ^cpavilion be taken up; let thy ^dhiding place no longer be covered; let thine ear be inclined; let thine ^eheart be softened, and thy bowels moved with compassion toward us.

5 Let thine ^aanger be kindled against our enemies; and, in the fury of thine heart, with thy ^bsword ^cavenge us of our wrongs.

6 Remember thy ^asuffering saints, O our God; and thy servants will rejoice in thy name forever.

(D&C 121:1-6)

 

 

The Lord did not take away the afflictions Joseph and the others were experiencing but gave him this gentle reply:

7 My son, ^apeace be unto thy soul; thine ^badversity and thine afflictions shall be but a ^csmall moment;

8 And then, if thou ^aendure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy ^bfoes.

(D&C 121:7-8)

  

The storms of life are many. Some are brought by nature, others are manmade. Some are of our own making. None are easy. All of them change us.

Again, the Lord speaks to Joseph while still held prisoner in Missouri:
7 And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.

(D&C 122:7) 

 

Not always does he calm the storm for us. Although we may be terrified, it may be better for us to experience the storm so that we can be changed. So that we gain experience. So that we turn to him and faith can grow.

 

Sometimes God calms the storm.

Sometimes He lets the storm rage and calms his child

 

Always, no matter what, He is there. He never forgets us, his children. It is we who forget; who let fear in. No matter how terrible the tempest we find ourselves in, he can put those same comforting words in our hearts, "Peace be still," and we can receive the same gift he gave to the disciples, "and there was a great calm." Even in the midst of the storm.

Posted by Sister Montgomery