Have you ever had that day when everything just all fell apart all at once? When suddenly the plans for your life just seemed to blow up spontaneously? We all make plans; and we’ve all seen those plans fall apart from time to time. In our chaotic, imperfect world nothing is forever except for God’s Love, Grace and Mercy. Even at times when the proverbial Murphy’s Law is as reliable as gravity, God is in control.

The first time I ever went sailing on Lake Superior as a boy, an unexpected gale force winds came out of nowhere and I thought for sure I’d end up in the lake, which is the largest body of freshwater in the world.  Because of the depth and being mostly spring fed, the year-round temperature is only 36°.  So, if you happen to fall in, you have only minutes, if you’re not properly protected, before you go into hypothermia. As the wind overtook the captain of the sail boat, he was hollering out instructions for us to hang on.  It seemed like we were turning on our side and almost face-to-face with certain aquatic death. The more experienced sailors begin to lower the sails which brought us calm to our situation. The captain of our boat knew what to do while I was caught totally unaware and clueless.

In the Gospels as the disciples were headed across the Sea of Galilee with Jesus the King of kings and Lord of lords, unexpectedly a storm came up as Jesus slept in the belly of the ship.  His disciples began to fear and frantically woke him from his sleep saying, “Jesus don’t you know we’re about to die?”  Jesus, the true captain of the ship, the master of the sea and of their souls, walked to the bow of the ship and said, “Peace, be still.”  The disciples were both amazed and saved. This teaches us that no matter what the storm is or the chaos that may come up in our lives, we should always know God is in control during the good times, the bad times, and the sad times. Whether the storm may be some unexpected bad news about yourself, a friend or loved one; or something at work; or a relationship with a family member or friend, the captain of our ship is also the Creator of the sea and the Master of the storm.

I wrote about an unexpected storm in my life, called cancer, in my new book, The Directed Path, in the chapter titled “There is No Death Sentence.”  I talk about how I went to the doctor for a kidney stone and months later found out I had cancer. The prognosis wasn’t very good; my doctors told me that I should just accept the fact that they would never tell me I was in remission or be cured. That was a storm I did not see coming; it happened so quickly I was caught unaware. Dark clouds seem to engulf my sunny day. The winds were howling as the words stung like a hard rain in my face. And though it went against every instinct in my body, I had to lower the sails on my ship and accept the fact that God was in control and there was nothing I could do except trust Him. I received that news on my 44th birthday.

In my public speaking and in my book, I often talk about how that was the perfect birthday present for me because I received the gift of living every day just like I’m dying. I want to make every day count, every “I love you” to mean something and every “I forgive you” to truly be that.  And since that early diagnosis, the doctors now tell me I’m not only in remission, but cured.

As Believers, we have an advantage over those that don’t understand the Blessed Assurance of Hope. No matter the storm or the winds of chaos and criticism that blow, Jesus is still in control and the Master of every situation.  This is the truth that brings me peace as I sail through the perpetual surges and attacks that come.  I share this with you as an encouragement, as we will always have tempests trying to toss us into the deep.  Just as the disciples feared for their lives, even with Jesus in their midst, we too may at times feel hopeless and afraid.  But the little ship on Galilee would never sink with Jesus on board, and we too will ALWAYS remain afloat when we make that same Jesus the captain of our lives.  With Him at the helm, we will have true Peace in the Storm.

By Wayne L. Mack, Author of The Directed Path: Using God’s Compass

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