sermonette: Where Is Your Faith?

Managing Our Emotions, Enabling us to Strengthen Our Faith
Hunter D. Swanson
Given 04-Oct-25; Sermon #1841s; 12 minutes

Description: (show)

We reference some form of intense weather, typically a storm, quite often in our culture, described when times are difficult.

For example, the phrase when it rains it pours is used to describe moments when troubles and difficulties rarely seem to come in small doses.

We also refer to the undercurrent of roaring waters to describe a circumstance in which everything feels completely out of our control, just as the undercurrent in stormy waters cannot be fought, but only ridden out until it is over with either death or freedom.

And it makes sense that we do this.

The most severe of storms have crushed cities and desolated towns.

But while these situations are always very notable and talked about in the news, your run-of-the-mill everyday storms happen all the time.

Growing up, I'm sure many of you experienced this as well.

Anytime a storm would be rolling in, I'd watch my dad go outside to watch the darkness in the sky get closer, feel the wind and smell the freshness that comes with the coming rain.

I enjoy these things, these things myself, just as much as I've gotten older as well, and anytime there is even just a little bit of rain, it's hard not to open up all the doors and take in that smell of fresh precipitation.

The storms I have not enjoyed, however, are the ones coming in when I've been on a boat in open water.

I do not know how many of you have been on a boat when a storm is either incoming or has already arrived but it, it can be truly terrifying.

The weather can turn from comfortably warm to shockingly cold in an instant.

And if you are far away from land and shelter, combine that cold with rain, along with the threats of capsizing and fear sets in fast.

This is likely even more intense for those who are often on water, perhaps as a job, especially out in the ocean.

I think all you have to do is watch a single episode of Deadliest Catch and you'll probably find that rough waters and high winds on the open seas are worth avoiding.

And an intense storm can quickly sink a vessel if it is bad enough, and death becomes much more likely of an outcome than most of us are comfortable with.

I imagine this fear of what a bad storm can do was very much at the forefront of the minds of the disciples when they were in the boat that was taking on water with Christ comfortably asleep on a pillow.

With some being fishermen knowing the dangers of stormy waters very intimately, I'm sure all logic and rationale told them to be terrified.

So if you would please turn with me to Mark chapter 4 for His account beginning in verse 35.

Again, Mark chapter 4.

We'll be reading verses 35 through 41.

Mark 4:35-41 On the same day when evening had come, He said to them, Let us cross over to the other side. Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was, and other little boats were also with Him. And a great wind storm arose, and the waves beat into the boat so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing? Then He arose and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, Peace, be still, and the wind ceased and there was a great calm. Verse 40, but He said to them, Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith? And they feared exceedingly and said to one another, Who can this be that even the wind and the sea obey Him.

And I find this whole instance and interaction very interesting, particularly the concept of being fearful and lacking in faith in an instance such as this, especially considering what Christ's followers had already witnessed with Him.

And notice how this account ends not on the disciples answering Christ, which makes sense.

I mean, the asking of their faith was likely rhetorical, but rather on the marveling amongst themselves about Christ's ability to command one of the most intimidating natural occurrences, leaving them still fearful, just fearful of something different.

If we try to look at this event through the eyes of the disciples, worldly logic and reasoning very quickly takes us to the same conclusion they did.

And it makes sense that they responded not to Christ's chastisement, but to what He had just done.

And by a show of hands, how many of us have been told to calm down before?

Yeah, now keep your hand up if you liked being told that.

We are immediately moved to calm down.

Of course, it doesn't matter what tone the question is posed in.

And the same goes for me and pretty much everyone on this planet.

Now considering the feeling that you have when you're told to calm down, ask yourself, has anyone, even yourself, had to ask you the question, where is your faith?

I'm willing to bet no one has shown unearthly power when asking you that question as well.

It is a very painful and humbling experience to recognize when our faith is lacking.

And with that in mind, it's easy to see ourselves being just as shaken as the disciples were as often when we lose our calmer sense of faith, it's because we get so caught up in our emotions in the moment.

Now, unlike the disciples, we do not have Christ physically sleeping next to us on a pillow, so we won't wake Him up, perform some amazing act in front of us, and then question our faith to stir us to change.

So it's up to us to identify God's work in our lives and keep our faith.

Sometimes we already have it, and in that case, we must simply buck up, pray, and use it.

And if we do not have enough, of course, we must do everything we can to build it.

And in order to do so, we first have to acknowledge how strong our emotions are and learn to manage them and keyword manage, not eliminate or ignore.

So secondly, we have the ability to and consequently choose to make the daily decision to trust God in every facet of our lives, leading to the building of our faith.

And I believe we've all experienced emotions to both extremes of the spectrum, at least within our perspectives.

And I think we have felt in ourselves and seen in others the uncontrollable roller coaster that often results.

When you're joyful and happy, you can't help but smile.

Your body generates chemicals that make you feel lighter, like you're shedding the weight of life or any difficulties you're dealing with.

And likewise, when you're angry and frustrated, your body feels more intense and often unpleasantly warm.

We even use the word heated to describe someone being aggravated and angry because of the rush of rush from the blood.

Unfortunately, I think as some no, I've always been a little bit on the emotional side and can very much relate to the feeling of being heated.

I've often made a fool of myself getting emotional, and after realizing I can't simply delete my emotions, I tend to ask myself how I can better handle or process them.

Typically, I come up pretty empty.

Recently, however, there have been two things that I found that have really helped me when I apply them in unison, and I'm not saying I have the one and only answer, of course, but I will say it's been necessary for me to work on my faith and attitude towards God in my daily life.

The first thing, simple, to let yourself experience your emotions.

And ironically enough, if you make the choice to allow your emotions to exist, you end up presenting yourself with better opportunities to act on them.

If I fight every feeling I have, I find myself fighting the current.

And just as fighting against the current leaves you tired and at risk of drowning, I tend to find myself drowning in that chaos.

Emotions are tools that God has given us.

They can definitely lead us in the wrong direction, but we should be careful not to just throw them away.

And the second thing is to change your view on your emotions, viewing them as signals.

That's what they are.

Think about a busy intersection.

If you're at a red light, you need to stop or you will hit or get hit by other cars, causing harm or even death to yourself and others.

If the light is yellow, treat it with caution.

And just as a green light tells us to go, joy and happiness causes reactions in our minds and bodies that tell us we are free to enjoy the moment.

We do not have to be on edge, but rather we can experience the moment in bliss, and likewise fear, which often results in a fight or flight reaction, tells us we are in danger.

These signals are also actually tend to last a lot shorter than we think.

I think I mentioned a previous message that anger is actually a very quick chemical reaction that we perpetuate choose by immediately choosing to act on it.

Now, most people cannot do much with fear.

It's, it's a very strong signal and, you know, it tells them that there is a threat to their life or some form of it, and that is rightfully terrifying and we deal with the same thing.

But as God's people, we have a fear that should be so much greater that overpowers those earthly fears.

And so let's look at this fear that goes beyond the physical if you turn with me to Matthew chapter 10.

We often talk about fear reverence towards God, which is of course very accurate, but fear is the signals we are talking about is a good motivator for a reason and can be applied in a healthy way.

Matthew chapter 10 I just want verse 28 for this.

Matthew 10:28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul, but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

This verse reinforces that fear is not a bad or wrong signal to have, but we must apply it appropriately to respecting and revering God.

And as we know, however, we are conditioned by the world we live in, and the reality is adjusting our bodies reaction to fear does not change overnight.

It is right to fear eternal death that is a result of defying God.

It is not right to let the signal of fear of earthly dangers and death override our trust in God.

This is where I think the disciples in the boat went a little wrong, and we must be cautious not to replicate their situation.

If we are still paralyzed with fear for our earthly situations, we must address why we are in such a state.

And at the end of the day is often a result, excuse me, of a lack of true trust in God's plans and His abilities and misplaced value on the things in life.

And to have faith, we must trust and to trust we must pay close attention to God's word, the truth, how He has worked with His people, and we must remember how He has worked with us every single day.

Trusting in God is a daily decision, and we must make it to build our faith.

Just like a habit, it takes active effort over time to build up trust in something, and our trust in God gets tested all the time.

While this testing is, of course, necessary, it can make us forget how valuable we are to God through some of that pain.

And we need to likewise not just fear, but also remember that we are precious to Him.

In fact, we have God directly telling us in multiple places how much He cares for us.

So let's re-read verse 28, Matthew chapter 10, and I want to read through to verse 31.

Matthew 10:28-31 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul, but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

It's necessary we remember how valuable we are to God and trust that He will not let something happen to us that is not according to His will.

He cares for us so deeply, and He has the power to take care of us exactly how we need to be.

We must remain calm and trust God in His plan, especially when we do not understand it, through the many storms that life throws at us.

If you'd turn with me to Psalm chapter 46 for our last scripture.

And I actually do not really have many comments I want to make.

I think this psalm is pretty powerful on its own to capstone these thoughts.

Over to Psalm chapter 46.

I'll be reading verses 1 through 3, and then we will jump down to read verses 8 through 11.

Psalm 46:1-3 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah.

Psalm 46:8-11 Come, behold the works of the Lord, who has made desolations in the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two, and He burns the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

There are no shortages of storms in this life, but while we may struggle with our emotions and faith, God gives us all the tools and strength we need to overcome the human condition and rightfully trust Him in everything.

We may be going to the Feast in a couple of days, but that doesn't mean there will not be trials.

There always are.

But when they arise, I hope you're able to find your faith and trust God regardless of what happens.