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why is this happening to me?**
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This is the most painful question we ask. We live in a broken, groaning world where storms pop up without warning. Blaming God for the storm is a way we try to regain control. We think that if God sent the cancer or the fracture to teach us humility, then at least there is a logical reason for the pain.
But Jesus does not orchestrate tragedy for character development. Instead, Jesus speaks into the storm to reveal who He is. Chaos is real, but it is not final. God is in the business of redeeming our pain. He does not author our trauma. What He does author, is our faith (Hebrews 12:2).
Complementary texts: Romans 8:18 to 28; Hebrews 12:1-3; James 1:13-17
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Matthew’s introduction to this story emphasizes that the disciples "followed him" into the boat (Matthew 8:23). This choice of language is deliberate. Matthew views the storm not merely as an event, but as a defining illustration of the life of a disciple.
Matthew's Gospel often serves as a guidebook for the emerging Church. The "boat" functions as a symbol for the Christian community. Matthew is establishing a foundational lesson on endurance: when the storms of life inevitably hit, the community of the boat is safe because she bears the one who commands the sea. Faith does not keep the boat from rocking; it keeps the boat from sinking.
Complementary texts: Matthew 28:18; John 16:33; 1 Peter 4:12-14