Even in the Midst of the Storm

"And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep..."— Matthew 8:23–27 (ESV)

As a family, we all face difficult moments. Sometimes they come without warning: financial struggles, illnesses, conflicts, losses. The passage in Matthew 8 reminds us that even the disciples, His friends, the ones who were with and followed Jesus went through a storm. They had done nothing wrong. They were obeying, following their Master. And yet, the waves threatened to sink them.

As I meditated on this portion of Scripture, I want to highlight a fundamental truth: following Jesus does not mean a life without storms, but it does mean a life with hope because He is in the boat.

One of the most powerful images in this passage is that Jesus is with them in the boat, even though He was sleeping. Sometimes, as a family, we feel that way: we pray, we ask for help, but we don’t see immediate answers. It's easy to think that God is not listening. However, His presence does not depend on what we feel. Jesus was there and that truth changes everything.

In moments of family crisis, let us remember this: Jesus has not stepped out of our boat. The disciples cried out, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” (v. 25, ESV). They weren’t pretending they were truly afraid. And Jesus, instead of rebuking them first, responds to their cry. Then He asks a question that He might also be asking us today as a family:“Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” (v. 26, ESV).

Jesus invites us to grow in faith. Crises are opportunities to strengthen our faith and to teach our children that we can cry out to God without fear, that we can trust even when the waves are big because this absolute truth remains: He is in the boat with you and your family.

When Jesus rises, He rebukes the wind and the sea. The result is immediate:“And there was a great calm.” (v. 26, ESV).

Chaos turns into calm. Only He has the power to transform a storm into peace. This shows us who Jesus is not just a teacher or a prophet, but the Almighty Lord, even over the forces of nature… and over the problems we face as a family.

When we allow Christ to take control, He can bring calm to our hearts, peace to our home, and direction in the midst of confusion.

After witnessing the miracle, the disciples were amazed and asked,“What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?” (v. 27, ESV).

Just like them, every storm we overcome in Christ leaves a mark a testimony. Our families need to see and remember those moments when God was faithful.

Let’s teach our children that yes, there will be hard times, that storms will come but Jesus is in our boat. Even in the middle of chaos, His presence is enough. He remains faithful and powerful.

By Paulina Rodriguez.