I was watching footage on the Weather Channel from the tornado in Iowa. There was a video clip of a woman. She was holding her baby in her friend’s basement when the stairs began to collapse on them. She said it was the only time she had ever prayed. She only spoke “Dear Lord”, then it was over.

I am a strong believer that prophetic words and events often occur so we can receive the message at a time when it is most needed. This past Sunday we reviewed the passages in Mark 6 (45-52) where Jesus walks on water. Dr. Evans opened his teaching with an analogy (he’s good at these). He said a soaked sponge under pressure [when squeezed] will reveal what is on the inside, and sometimes God intentionally allows or causes pressure [trials] in our lives to grow us spiritually and build our faith. Just an observation right quick based on this analogy…if someone doesn’t have a relationship with the Lord but call on Him during their trial, He has to inhabit a space within them for His name to be the first they call when under pressure.

A couple of things that stood out to me regarding those verses:

• You can be obedient, operating under the will of God AND still be in a trial – Jesus instructed the disciples to cross the sea. They became stuck in the middle, fighting against the winds.
• No matter the time, day or night, He sees us in our struggles – Jesus was watching them
• The Lord can present Himself in unexpected ways. If you limit Him, you may miss Him – The disciples were terrified when they saw Jesus walking on water. They thought He was a ghost.

I think I was in my late 30’s when I heard someone say that if you continue to experience the exact same trials over and over again, it’s because you’re not learning the lesson God is trying to teach you. My ultimate takeaway is we should be able to absorb God, know what He can do, and stand on that knowledge during our trials so that evidence of Him comes pouring out of us. No matter where you are in life and what you are facing, I pray you take a moment to remember when God clearly revealed Himself in the workings of your life. Bring this to the forefront during your next storm and remember the Lord walks on water!

…But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage! I am here!” – Mark 6:50 NLT