why are you so afraid?

Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
     He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
     The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!” (Matthew 8:23-27)

“Why are you so afraid?”  What a great question.  One that deserves a great answer.  How do you answer it?  Oh it’s easy to say, “Who me?  I’m not afraid,” when the seas are calm and our circumstances are good.  But when all hell breaks loose in our lives, then what happens?  Do we react in faith or do we react in fear?  Because these are the moments that tell us what we really believe, deep in our hearts, about life and about God.  Our reaction to stormy circumstances is telling.  How we choose to react to our storms determines what we allow ourselves to be controlled by—fear or faith.  Do we “Take courage” as Jesus so often calls us to do, knowing that he is ultimately in control of all things and will indeed take care of us?  Or are we swept away by chaos, allowing fear and panic to dominate our hearts and lives.  Taking courage happens when we choose to be led by faith rather than by fear.  So today, if a storm rears its ugly head, what will we choose?