Life-Giving Words of Hope & Encouragement

Life has a way of tossing us into storms we never saw coming. One moment, the waters are calm, the skies are clear, and everything feels steady. The next, dark clouds roll in, the wind howls, and waves crash over us, threatening to pull us under. But even in the fiercest storms, we can encounter Jehovah Shalom—the God of Peace—who anchors our souls when everything around us is in chaos.

The Bible gives us two contrasting stories about Jesus and storms—both revealing how He works in the middle of life’s tempests.

In Mark 4:35-41, Jesus is in the boat with His disciples when a violent storm erupts. As the wind roars and the waves batter their vessel, fear grips them. They wake Jesus, desperate and terrified: “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” Jesus rises, speaks three words—“Peace! Be still!”—and instantly, the storm obeys. The winds cease. The waves settle. The disciples are left in awe, witnessing His authority over the raging sea.

But then there’s Matthew 14:22-33—a different kind of storm. This time, Jesus isn’t in the boat. Instead, He walks on the water toward His struggling disciples as the storm rages on. Yet, He doesn’t immediately silence the wind or calm the waves. Instead, He invites Peter to step out onto the water—to trust Him in the midst of the storm. For a moment, Peter walks by faith. But as his focus shifts to the chaos around him, he begins to sink. Jesus reaches out, rescues him, and then, only after they return to the boat, does the storm subside.

These two stories hold a powerful truth: Sometimes, God calms the storm around us, and other times, He lets it rage while calming the storm within us. Jehovah Shalom doesn’t always remove the external chaos, but He always offers peace that guards our hearts and minds (Philippians 4:7). The key is not letting the storm around us get inside of us.

I will never forget the moment my world was shattered by four devastating words:
“Your daughter has cancer.”

In that instant, my heart sank. Fear, grief, and uncertainty swirled like a hurricane, threatening to consume me. The waves of worry crashed over me, and I felt like I was drowning. But then, something remarkable happened. Jehovah Shalom showed up.

Not by changing the diagnosis.
Not by instantly removing the pain.
But by flooding my soul with a peace so profound, so unshakable, that I knew I wasn’t alone.

That peace carried me through sleepless nights, tear-stained prayers, and countless doctor visits. It didn’t make the journey easy, but it gave me the strength to face each day. And along the way, I also encountered Jehovah Rapha—the God who heals. I saw His hand at work in my daughter’s resilience, in the small victories, in the healing that unfolded before my eyes. But I often wonder:

Without the peace of Jehovah Shalom, could I have fully trusted Jehovah Rapha?
Could I have embraced the hope of healing without the calm assurance of His presence?

Storms come in many forms—a diagnosis, a broken relationship, financial strain, the loss of a loved one. We don’t get to choose whether the storm comes, but we do get to choose where we place our trust. Will we let the chaos around us seep into our souls, or will we anchor ourselves in the unwavering peace of Jehovah Shalom?

When Jesus said, “Peace! Be still!” He showed His power to calm the storm.
When He walked on water and let the storm rage, He showed that His presence is enough, even when the waves don’t stop.

If you’re facing a storm today, call out to Jehovah Shalom. Invite Him into your boat, into your heart, into your fears. His peace is not dependent on the absence of trouble; it is His gift to you in the midst of it. And as you rest in His peace, you may just find yourself encountering the fullness of who He is—Jehovah Rapha, Jehovah Jireh, El Roi—the Healer, the Provider, the God who sees you.

The storms will come, but they don’t have to destroy you. When the waves rise and the winds howl, remember this:

The storm around you doesn’t have to get inside you.
Jehovah Shalom is with you, and His peace will sustain you.

When the waves rise and the winds roar, keep your eyes on Jesus.

I hope this speaks to you, and I pray you have a blessed day!