Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Storms lesson number six: Storms can reveal faith

Today’s scripture, Matthew 14:29‭-‬32 (NLT) shares…
Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped.

Consider…
Hopefully this week has taught you to look at storms differently. To see them more as a source of inspiration, rather than desperation. Today we’ll close with a final inspiration we can find in a storm. That inspiration is a ‘faith reveal’.

A popular event that expectant parents have these days is a ‘gender reveal’. According to Oxford Languages, a gender reveal is an announcement by expectant parents of the sex of their unborn child.

And according to Wikipedia, the gender reveal party developed in the late 2000s. An early example was recorded in the 2008 posts of then-pregnant Jenna Karvunidis on her ChicagoNow blog High Gloss and Sauce announcing the sex of her fetus via cake; she had previously had several miscarriages and wished to celebrate that her pregnancy had developed to the point that the sex of the fetus could be determined.

I find the account of Ms Karvundis relatable to ‘faith reveals’ that an expectant Jesus shared with His disciples. Isn’t it interesting that it was after several miscarriages, her pregnancy finally developed into an identifiable fetus. In the same way, with Jesus’ disciples we witness several failures of faith experienced, before it was finally formed sufficiently for them to spread the gospel message of Jesus Christ boldly and courageously, in the face of deadly adversity.

We find one example of a failure of faith, shared in Matthew 17:19‭-‬20 (NLT). It says…
Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, “Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?” “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”

Another example, similar today’s storm example with Peter, is found in Mark 4:39‭-‬40 (NLT), which shares…
When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

Yet another failure of faith is found with Thomas in John 20:29 (NLT), which reads…
Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

Jesus was saying faith is not seeing before believing, it’s believing before seeing. 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

There are many more examples, but these give you an idea of what I mean by a failure of faith.

However, it’s important to note, that the faith miscarriages only revealed to Jesus, there was more work to do to develop a viable faith in His chosen partners.

For an example of what I am talking about, let’s read another story about the Peter’s faltering faith. Luke 22:31‭-‬34 (NLT) shares…
“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.” Peter said, “Lord, I am ready to go to prison with you, and even to die with you.” But Jesus said, “Peter, let me tell you something. Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.”

Notice, Jesus said that Satan wanted to sift all the disciples like wheat. And guess what, he wants to do the same with you and I. Satan wants our faith to fail, so he can drag us to hell.

However, also notice that Jesus told Simon, that He prayed that his faith wouldn’t fail. And guess what, according to Hebrews 7:25, Jesus is praying for us too.

But look closely at what Jesus says next to His disciple. He said…
So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.

Jesus told Peter, eventually your developed faith will be revealed. Not only that, but your weakened faith will be strengthened so that you can strengthen the faith of others. I believe Jesus reveals our failures of faith to help us empathize with others who have little to no faith. Empathy describes a secondary purpose of Jesus’ reveal, which is God in flesh, here on earth. (Hebrews 4:15). Don’t ever forget that Jesus understands you.

I find it interesting that Jesus initially sought to place hope in Peter, before revealing his greatest faith miscarriage…

• He was praying for him
• Although he would fail, would come back stronger
• He would strengthen others

It was only after that, when Jesus in response to Peter’s over confidence, would reveal Peter’s faulty understanding of faith. Jesus told Peter that he would deny, rather than rely on, Jesus. That’s the same greatest failure of faith we will ever experience too.

Today’s message is simply, don’t be discouraged by your failures of faith revealed in the storms you face. Rather see them as Jesus does, just an indicator that He needs to build more hope in you that inspires you to trust in Him. Our faith miscarriages are precursors to God’s expectant and ultimate reveal of faith that is within us. I can confidently say that because Philippians 1:6 (ERV) says…
I am sure that the good work God began in you will continue until he completes it on the day when Jesus Christ comes again.

I believe our faith must be fully revealed, before it is ultimately fulfilled.

In the meantime, with each new revealing storm, don’t lose hope, keep the faith.

Today’s song is…
Keep The Faith

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)