What Is the Right Thing to Say To God in Crisis

Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!” - Matthew 8:23-27

There’s something about crisis that wakes us up and helps us start looking around for where in the world God is. Often, it seems as though God were asleep. Perhaps, as this passage suggests, sometimes God is asleep (that’s an unnerving thought)!

And yet, God is still there. Sure, Jesus is not actively saving them. But Jesus is still there. Perhaps that doesn’t seem enough at times - and there’s no shame in that. But at least we’re aloud to tell God that we don’t like how things are being handled.

I often wonder about this passage if the disciples just barely missed it. What if they had woken Jesus up and said, “Save us - we’re scared of drowning!” For me that seems a bit more vulnerable and honest. What do you think the right thing for them to say would have been?

“I think their failure was not unlike ours - believing that if their lives were screwed, that must mean that God is far off. Their failure was buying the lie that calm waters are the only satisfying proof of God’s presence.” - Nadia Boltz-Weber