“Why Are You Afraid?” — Trusting the Goodness of the One Who Calms the Storm

"Jesus responded, 'Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!' Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm."

—Matthew 8:26 NLT

Can we just pause for a second and marvel at this moment? The disciples are panicking, water is sloshing over the sides of the boat, the sky is dark, thunder crashing—and Jesus is sleeping! Peacefully. Calmly. Fully aware. And yet not anxious.

Why?

Because Jesus isn’t afraid of the storm.

He’s not shaken by the winds or overwhelmed by the waves.

He sees what is good.

He is good.

And so, He speaks. And the chaos obeys.

Jesus Calmed the Storm Because He is Good!

Let that sink in for a second. Jesus didn’t calm the storm to show off or prove a point.

He calmed it because He is good.

Goodness isn’t just something He does—it’s who He is.

He saw the fear in the disciples’ eyes, and He responded—not with condemnation—but with a call to faith:

"Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!"

Not because He was mad.

But because He knew something they didn’t.

He saw the end from the beginning. He saw what was good.

And that same Jesus is with you in your boat, right now.

He sees you.

He sees the storm.

And He sees what’s on the other side of it.

Have Faith in the Maker, Not in the Making!

This one hits home, right? So often, we get caught up in the process—the "making" of our dreams, our plans, our purposes. We fix our eyes on the work, the striving, the hustle… and somewhere along the way, our faith quietly shifts. We start trusting the steps instead of the Savior.

But here’s the truth, sweet friend:

The making will shift. The process will stretch you.

But the Maker? He is constant. Faithful. Steady.

He doesn't change like the waves.

He doesn’t drift like our emotions.

He’s the same yesterday, today, and forever.

And when our faith is anchored in Him, we won’t be swept away by the winds of uncertainty.

So what if we let go of our grip on “how it’s supposed to look”…

And instead, clung to the One who speaks peace over every storm?

Have Faith in the Caller, Not the Calling!

Let’s be real—callings can get confusing.

Sometimes they feel big and scary.

Sometimes they feel small and unnoticed.

And sometimes we’re just not even sure what we’re being called to.

But here’s the gospel truth:

Jesus never said, “Follow your dreams!”

He said, “Come, follow Me.”

He didn’t say,

“Come, and I’ll give you a six-step plan.”

He said,

“Come, and I’ll make you.”

The emphasis isn’t on what you do.

It’s on who you’re with.

Because the Caller is more trustworthy than the calling.

The calling may shift with the seasons, but the Caller—Jesus—is forever good.

When He calls, He’s not pointing you to a platform, a paycheck, or a performance.

He’s calling you to Himself.

To walk with Him.

To learn from Him.

To be with Him.

Our Calling is to Be His

YES. Read that again. Say it out loud.

Our calling is to be His.

That’s it. That’s the secret. That’s the whole thing.

Before you are a student, a mom, a manager, an artist, a dreamer, a helper, a doer…

You are His.

Before your ministry.

Before your business.

Before your mission.

You are His beloved.

He called the disciples not because they were qualified or prepared—but because He loved them. He said,

“Come, follow Me, and I will make you…”

Not:

“I will watch you work your way up to being worthy.”

But:

“I will make you. I will shape you. I will form you—as you walk with Me.”

That’s where the magic happens. Not in the striving. But in the surrender.

Not in the building. But in the belonging.

Jesus didn’t calm the storm just to wow the disciples.

He calmed the storm because He wanted them to see—

That He is good.

That He is with them.

That He is for them.

That He alone is enough.

And friend, He’s saying the same thing to you today:

"Why are you afraid? I’m right here. Trust Me."

He’s in your boat.

He’s in your storm.

He sees the good on the other side.

And His voice still calms the seas.

So let’s be brave.

Let’s be still.

Let’s put our faith in the Maker, not in the making.

Let’s trust the Caller, not the calling.

Let’s stop striving for a role and start resting in our relationship.

Because at the end of the day…

Your highest calling is not a title.

It’s not a task.

It’s not a dream.

Your highest calling is to be His.

And that is more than enough.