There is no doubt we are living in uncertain times. The common word that has been going around is “unprecedented”. We have never experienced anything like COVID-19. Life as we known it has drastically altered.

Times like these forces us to look at what is important and it brings to the surface what we truly believe in, who and what we trust.

The questions I am asking myself in these days and perhaps you are asking also is:
• Can I trust God in this uncertain time?
• Do I trust Him enough to get me through?
• Is my faith deep enough?
• If I lose what is important to me (fill in the gap), can I say God alone is enough?

How do we trust God under pressure?

Read: ** Mark 4:35-41 (TPT)**
Later that day, after it grew dark, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the lake.” After they had sent the crowd away, they shoved off from shore with him, as he had been teaching from the boat, and there were other boats that sailed with them. Suddenly, as they were crossing the lake, a ferocious tempest arose, with violent winds and waves that were crashing into the boat until it was all but swamped. But Jesus was calmly sleeping in the stern, resting on a cushion. So they shook him awake, saying, “Teacher, don’t you even care that we are all about to die!” Fully awake, he rebuked the storm and shouted to the sea, “Hush! Calm down!” All at once the wind stopped howling and the water became perfectly calm. Then he turned to his disciples and said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Haven’t you learned to trust yet?” But they were overwhelmed with fear and awe and said to one another, “Who is this man who has such authority that even the wind and waves obey him?”

Trust is something that we learn. It is something that we develop like a muscle.

How do we trust like Jesus?

JESUS TRUSTS GOD’S LOVE

When storms brew, we may often go to that place of accusing God of not loving us. We believe if God loved us bad things won’t happen. Jesus says in this life there will be trials and tribulations (John 16:33).

Jesus knew they were heading to other side of the lake. He rested in in God’s word. He could rest in God’s word, because He rested in God’s love first.

Jesus trusts the Father because He knows the Father’s love for him.

John 17:24 - “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

This love that Jesus knew is what enabled him to say yes to the Father’s plan. It’s what sustained Him through the wilderness, through betrayals and even the agony of His death.

Are we secure in God’s love? Do we trust him with our life and our death?

Romans 8:38-39 (NIV)
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

To develop trust, we need to be open to receiving God’s love for us first.

Ways to experience God’s love for oneself include:

When we receive God’s love first and become secure in this, we can rest in His word.

JESUS TRUSTS GOD’S WORD

Jesus heard a word to go to the other side of the lake. He trusted in that word. Read Mark 5 to find out what was on the other side of the Lake.

Whatever God the Father planned, God the Son, Jesus heard and did.

John 5:19 - So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. (NLT)

John 12:49 - *I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. * (NLT)

We are called to the same oneness (John 17).

So how does this apply to us?

It’s about tuning in to the Holy Spirit.

John 14:26 - *“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” *

To build trust requires us to stop and listen, not to the storm, not to the fear that whirls around us, but to what the Holy Spirit is saying.

Practically this means:

• Guarding your personal time with God
• Casting your cares, being honest with how you feel
• Then being still and listening to what the Holy Spirit is saying
• Finding a routine that includes listening to God.

God has solutions, has words to lead us through, we just need to listen.

JESUS TRUSTS US

Jesus was also unfazed about the storm because he trusted his disciples.

God trusts us.

There are many ways that God trusts us.

A few of those ways include Him trusting us with:

• Talents and gifts – each of us have been given unique talents and gifts. God trusts us to be good stewards with the talents and gifts he has given us.
• Possessions – every possession in some way has come from God. You may have worked hard, but God is the one who gave you the strength, the talents and the opportunities to gain wealth. He trusts us to be good stewards with our possessions and our wealth, to tithe on what we earn, to be generous and care for the poor.
• The gospel – The gospel means good news and there is no good news without Jesus, that He died on a cross for our sins and rose again. There is nothing we need to do to earn God’s approval except trust in Jesus. But God trusts us to share this good news with others who are willing to listen.

Disciples were experienced fishermen, who had fished on the Sea of Galilee many times. They had weathered storms before. They had the experience, the talent and they had God literally in their boat.

When storms come, do we trust God has equipped us to get to the other side of this situation?

Ephesians 2:10 - For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (NIV)

In the middle of COVID-19 there are good works that God is preparing for us to do to get to the other side of this situation. And it is going to take us working together to do that.

• Using our gifts and talents to start new businesses and help others out of financial distress.
• Praying for others – our leaders, medical staff, those who are vulnerable in our community
• Being generous with our time and with what we have, dropping off groceries and meals to those who are not able to leave their home.

God is with us. But God also trusts us to work together to get to the other side of COVID-19.

CONCLUSION

There were other boats out on that lake following Jesus that day. They too were caught in the storm. Looking perhaps to how the disciples were responding. This is our time for the world to see the church shine.

We will weather this storm if we trust in God’s love and His word and we trust that He has equipped us for it.

Let’s not allow this storm to immobilise us, let’s rather choose to build trust in God’s love, word and the ability He has given us to weather this storm.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

• How do you connect with God best?

• What fears do you need to cast to God? What does God’s word and truth say about that situation?

• Discuss a time that was uncertain and difficult, what did God show you in that time? What did you learn?

• What do you think God is wanting you to do in this time that would demonstrate his love to others?