Jesus Calms the Storm: He's Bigger Than the Storms Inside You

Hey, Carpool Crew, Pastor Justin here. I hope you're having a great start to your day. Maybe you're munching down some breakfast or just relaxing at home. I think that is awesome. Before we jump in, I want to give a big shout out to Peyton and Mila out in Ohio. And a big shout out to Ellie in Mansfield, Louisiana. Peyton, Mila, Ellie, I hope you remember how much God loves you. Have an incredible day today. And guess what? We're talking about a big moment in Jesus' life where He was showing His disciples that He was bigger than any storm. Here's the one thing for the ride I want you to remember: Jesus is bigger than the storms inside you. Listen, this is from Mark chapter four, verse 39: "He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, 'Silence! Be still!' The wind died down, and there was a great calm." Okay, now picture this. It's the end of a long day. Jesus had been teaching all day. He's really tired, and He looks at His disciples and says, "Let's get in the boat and go to the other side of the lake." So they all push off. Jesus is so tired He actually falls asleep in the back of the boat on a pillow. Yeah, He is worn out. Then a huge storm hits. Now, we're not talking about little waves. The water is pouring into the boat. The wind is shoving them all over the lake. Some of these disciples were fishermen. They had been in storms before, but this is one that was bad enough that they thought they were going to die. So they run to the back of the boat, and they wake up Jesus. They yell, "Don't you care that we're about to drown?" Could you imagine saying that to Jesus? Now here's the big moment. Jesus stands up. He doesn't grab a bucket and start shoveling water out. He doesn't help them row. He doesn't join in the panic. He calmly speaks with authority. "Silence. Be still." And right then the wind stops. The waves go flat. Everything gets quiet. The disciples just stand there with their mouths wide open because even the wind and waves listen to Jesus. See, if Jesus were sitting with us right now, He might tell you, "The stuff swirling in your head and on your heart, I'm bigger than that, too. Tell me about it. I can quiet that loud feeling inside of you." So think about the storms that happen inside your mind and inside your heart. That nervous feeling before a big game or a big test, the worry that won't turn off at bedtime, the frustration when something didn't go your way, that sad feeling when a friend left you out. Those storms are real. They feel loud. But Jesus has power over those, too. You know, here's what you can do this week. First, when your insides feel loud, take three slow breaths and say, "Jesus, be still." Three breaths, three words. Second, tell one person what's going on. A parent, a sibling, a coach, a teacher. Storms get smaller when you say them out loud to someone you trust. And third, before bed tonight, hand the loud thing to Jesus in a one-sentence prayer. "Jesus, here's what's bugging me. Take it." Now, back to that one big thing I wanted you to remember. Jesus is bigger than the storms inside you. Remember, friends, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. And parents, if you're loving this podcast, consider subscribing. You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. You'll get all the weekend episodes, plus Goodnight Psalms, Carpooling with Heroes of the Bible, and our special bonus episodes. You will love it. Now, before you go, here's a question to talk about together. What's a storm on the inside of you right now that we can pray about as a family? I'll see you next time on Carpooling with Jesus.