He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?” (Luke 24:38)
Sailing to the New World as a young missionary in 1735, John Wesley found himself in big trouble. A violent storm came upon the ship that carried Wesley and many others, snapping the ship’s main mast. Water surged onto the decks and almost capsized the boat. While Wesley, the crew, and other passengers screamed in panic, a small group of German Moravians calmly sang hymns and prayed.
Their calmness in the face of such danger demonstrated a faith that Wesley did not possess. He embarked on a spiritual pilgrimage to have their kind of peace, which eventually led to a beautiful, heartwarming conversion and one of the greatest revivals in history.
When Wesley inquired why they were not troubled by the storm, the Moravians wondered why he was bothered by it. After all, if we believe Christ is risen, we don’t need to be troubled when trouble comes.
Life is loaded with trouble. Everybody is either in it, heading toward it, or getting out of it. Hardships are facts of life. The Christian voyage is not easy sailing. Storms will threaten and waves will surge. Trusting Jesus doesn’t keep us from having difficulties, but it does keep us from being swamped by them.
When you’re in trouble, don’t be troubled. The risen Christ is with you and will keep your boat from sinking, no matter how deep the sea. Hope floats.
Don’t let trouble trouble you.
Mark O. Wilson is assistant professor of discipleship, multiplication, and renewal at Southern Wesleyan University (SC) and author of “Filled Up, Poured Out”. Mark and his wife, Cathy, have five children.
© 2021 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
