‍And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. Mark 4:37-39 NIV

I have read this passage many times, and I have focused on what Jesus did after He awoke. But the bigger lesson happens before the disciples awaken Him. During what seemed like a storm that shook the disciples physically, mentally, and spiritually, Jesus sleeps. Why didn’t He wake up and become as disturbed as them? Jesus wasn’t afraid of the storms of life because He already had the tools necessary to cope with the everyday difficulties of life. Therefore, He could rest in the fact that with His Father’s help, He could weather any storm. One of the most important tools God has given us is the ability to rest, not just physically, but mentally and spiritually, too.

Here are some ways God has given us to rest:

Physically - Sometimes the rest our bodies need is a simple power nap during the day. But sabbaticals and vacations allow us to rest physically while focusing on our God given passions and feed our souls as well.

Mentally - One of the fastest ways for a Christian to experience mental exhaustion is burnout. When you are working in areas outside of your passions or not seeing results for your work, it’s easy to feel stuck. Working at things as if you were working for the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58) helps you to rest your mind and trust that God has a bigger plan for the little ways God has called you to serve Him.  

Spiritually - As someone who struggles with fear, it’s easy to try to weather the storms of life on my own. Jesus trusted that He could calm the storm because of His faith. Faith and trust helps me rest in the Lord and remain calm during the dark times in my life.

When we use the resources of trust and faith, we can remain calm during the difficult times of life.

Lord, help us to rest in You during the difficult storms in our lives.