Summer of Depth Devotional Day 29
Welcome to Day 29 of our Summer of Depth Devotional and Reading Plan.
Have you ever felt like you were doing exactly what God asked you to do...and life still got harder?
Sometimes we assume that following Jesus should make the path easier. But today's passage reminds us that obedience doesn't always mean calm waters. Sometimes it leads us right into the middle of a storm. Let’s go there together right now…
Let's dive deep into His Word.
Before anything else, slow down and read: Mark 6:45–56.
Jesus tells the disciples to get into the boat and head across the lake. They do exactly this, and before long the wind is against them. We can assume that hours pass. They strain at the oars, but make very little progress.
Then Mark gives us one simple detail that changes everything:
Jesus saw them.
Before the disciples saw Jesus, He had already been watching them.
That’s a deeply comforting thought.
Jesus wasn't unaware of their struggle. Even though he went away to pray, He hadn't forgotten about them. From the mountainside, He saw every wave they fought against and every stroke of the oar that seemed to get them nowhere.
Maybe you feel like that today.
You've been faithful. You've prayed. You've obeyed. And yet it still feels like you're rowing against the wind. Maybe you’ve even wondered, “If God wants me to do this, should it be this hard?”
Don't miss what this passage reminds us: Jesus is never absent from the struggles of His people. He may not always calm the storm the moment we want Him to, but He always knows exactly where we are. Check out how this moment ends: At just the right time, He shows up…He comes to them from the shoreline…By walking on the very thing they feared.
Sometimes God doesn't remove what we're afraid of right away. Sometimes He doesn’t magically make our battles disappear in a poof. Instead, He reveals that He's Lord over it.
Prayer:
Jesus, thank You for seeing me, even when I feel tired, discouraged, or overwhelmed. Help me to trust that You are with me, even when the wind is against me. In Your name, amen.
