Scripture Reading: Luke 8:22-25, Mark 6:47-52, Matthew 17:24-27, Mark 11:12-14, Mark 11:20-25
It’s scary to ask the Lord for specific and even tangible things.
Recently, our pastor encouraged the congregation to pray more specific prayers. I confess that the moment he invited us into this journey, I began to doubt that God would actually hear my prayers. I usually like to manage my expectations and qualify my prayers with something like, “If it’s Your will, Lord, then…” But our pastor was calling us to more. He was calling us to faith. Since that encouragement, I’ve sought to ask Jesus to do miracles in my own my life. But I fear my faith is lacking.
I relate to the fear the disciples so often display in the Gospels. They were normal people, after all, just like you and me. Although they walked with Jesus, they still struggled with unbelief (Luke 8:25). And like the disciples, when the storms rage and the winds blow and everything seems unsure in my own life, peace feels far off and unimaginable.
The unknown can be scary, but Jesus calls us to something greater than our fear. He calls us to faith. The miracles of Jesus remind us that no matter our circumstances, He proves His faithfulness over and over again. He doesn’t just offer peace—He is Peace. He doesn’t exercise His power over nature—He is Power.
Jesus’ miracles over land and sea are examples of the power and authority He has over the world He created (John 1:1-3). Scripture tells us that Jesus defied gravity by walking on water (Mark 6:49), and that the winds and the waves obeyed Him with a word (Luke 8:24-27). But despite all they had witnessed throughout their time with Jesus, even the disciples didn’t understand. They lacked faith and their hearts grew hard (Mark 6:52). While Jesus didn’t have to reveal His power in this way, through miracles, He did so out of His mercy for them.
Just as He did with the disciples, Jesus calls us to trust Him in the middle of the storms we face. He asks us, “Where is your faith?” because what’s going on in our doubtful, troubled hearts is important to Him. He gently instructs us to “Have courage!” and reminds us that it’s because of who He is that we don’t have to be afraid (Mark 6:50). The rules of nature don’t apply to Him. The One who spoke creation into existence can also calm it with a word (Mark 4:35-41).
Jesus invites us to trust Him, and I long for the faith to do so. His miracles are for us, too, so that we might see and know that He is Lord. The wind may be howling, the waves may be crashing, but our God is faithful in the midst of it all. By His grace, may we have the courage to trust Him in any circumstance. May we have the faith to call out to Him, to take Him at His word, and to believe.
Trillia Newbell is the author of Enjoy: Finding the Freedom to Delight Daily in God’s Good Gifts, Fear and Faith: Finding the Peace Your Heart Craves, and United: Captured by God’s Vision for Diversity. Trillia is married to her best friend, Thern. Together, they reside with their two children near Nashville, Tennessee. You can find her find her on Twitter at @trillianewbell.
Since finding this verse I’ve prayed in God’s will for specific things. His will will be accomplished even if we pray specifically, so this is hard for me. I get the part about having faith and believing, but I also think we should pray for His will.
◄ 1 John 5:14 ►
New International Version
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
I believe. Help my unbelief! (Mark 9:24)
This reminds me of a line in a Hillsong Y&F song that says:
“I’ll stare down the waves
‘Cause You own the tide
I still my soul and know
You wait for me
On waters wild
Where faith walks above the storm”
I have always struggled with the passage about the doomed fig tree. What are your thoughts as to why Jesus cursed the fig tree?
I have struggled with this as well! I’m new to reading the Bible and it strikes me as a moment of “human” emotion experienced by Jesus – frustration. The difference being that he then cursed the tree and it wither. For me it shows his humanity and also his awesome power.
I’ve thought of this passage in the same way Emma explained, as a moment of frustration showing Jesus’ humanity. I learned something new about the fig tree this morning from my Life Application Study Bible. The note states that Jesus’ words to the fig tree were representative of Israel. The fig tree looked promising for fruit because of all its leaves but it was not fruitful. “Jesus’ harsh words to the fig tree could be applied to the nation of Israel. Fruitful in appearance only, Israel was spiritually barren.”
Thank you for sharing!
I think this passage and a lot of other ones in today’s study illustrate the power of the tongue. Jesus speaks and a miracle happens. He tells us later in the fig tree example that we have this same power. Our tongues can curse and bless. So I think cursing the fig tree might just be a way to illustrate this point.
Jesus cursing the fig tree was to illustrate the “fruitlessness” of the Jewish religion and the Pharisees of the time – seeming healthy and green on the outside, but truly dead inside and not producing any fruit. (In their case, they were not producing the fruits of true service and devotion to the Lord, caring for the poor, etc.) Similar to Jesus’s rebuke to them being “whitewashed tombs” – pure on the outside but filled with death and decay on the inside (Matt. 23:27).
Oh I would love a She Reads Truth Prayer Journal App! Anything in development? How lovely it would be to connect with other SRT gals and to have a hallelujah section for answered prayers!
wonderful idea!
Hi April! What a fun idea. No plans for that as of yet, but I’ll take the idea to our team here at #SRThq!
– Stormye
The more specifically I pray, the more I see God working specifically around me. It is deeply encouraging. Writing them down gives me a reference point to refer back to when Satan tries to convince me Hod is not trustworthy. My prayer journal is my Shield of Faith…
*God not Hod…
I believe miracles happen to show God’s glory. To glorify Him. His will is that we know Him and miracles are a way to do that. When I am praying for miraculous healing or intervention I always keep in mind that He will be glorified through the answer. Often when I go back and read through my prayers my eyes are opened to the fact that it’s a grocery list of wants to satisfy me in the right now. When I seek His will it will have an eternal flavor. That’s not always healing or comfort or relief from an earthly struggle. Maybe my “thorn in the flesh” remains for an eternal reason. I am still growing here because life can be so hard. Someone shared MercyMe’s song “Even If” recently and I’ve added it to my “It Is Well” playlist and every time it comes up I have a lump in my throat. It’s just so hard, but MY God is good. ALL of the time. Even when I can’t see all sides of the situation.
I’m trying to form prayer after these thoughts. How do you have full faith that he will give you what you ask for, if he also sometimes says no? I want to pray for his will, but I don’t know what that is. It is comforting that even the disiples struggled with this. I think I may be guilty of saying “if it is your will” as a lack of faith, although I do want his will to be done. Thankful that the Lord understands our prayers in “groans,” because this topic still confuses me!
Catie, thank you for being authentic! I think so many people struggle with the same questions you’re asking but are afraid to admit it because they might sound like they’re doubting or not believing. My pastor has been talking about the line between doubt and unbelief and it’s cool to hear that it’s okay to have questions and doubts like this as long as we can, at the end of it, say that despite our questions, God is in control. Isn’t it amazing that we have a God who accepts us and loves us even when we’re grappling with understanding Him?
I’ve been where you are! Struggling with the idea that sometimes what I want isn’t what God has planned for me….but I think that’s where I’ve learned to be ok when He says no. I may not like it in the beginning but I always remind myself God has something better in store for me or that if I had gotten what I wanted (when it wasn’t what He wanted) then I would either be unhappy or something would go wrong. I’ve learned to accept that even though God hears my every word, He may have something better in mind and I would take His better than my temporary.