In the Midst of Storm

“Then the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.” – Jonah 1:16

I had lost count of the needles that had been used on me so far. I thought I would eventually get used to the pain, but the bone marrow biopsy threw me off-guard. Prior to the procedure, my wife shared with me about her epidural injection in the bone marrow during the labor for our daughters. So, I anticipated a similar experience. However, the level of pain turned out to be far more than what I had in mind.

When the doctor was taking samples inside my bone marrow, I felt pretty nervous. The nurse in front of me sensed my restlessness and tried to calm me down. At that time, God reminded me of the crucifixion of Christ. I could not imagine how painful it was for Jesus when the nails were pierced through his hands and feet. God spoke to me, “What you are experiencing now is nothing compared to what I had gone through for your salvation.”

It’s so true.

So I started to give thanks to God for the cross. I asked forgiveness for not fully appreciating His grace for my life. And I could never forget what I heard next inside my heart, “I will use your trial to save many.” I said yes to God.

An hour later, my mom went into the room. She came to me, shed her tears, and said that she had accepted Christ into her heart. For the past 17 years, I had been praying for my family's salvation, especially my mother. I couldn’t believe her words. She repeated herself. That was one of the best moments in my life. Then, I heard the same small voice say to me, “Your mom is the first fruit.”

A great wind and violent tempest on the sea almost destroyed the ship where Jonah was while he was running away from God’s calling for him to evangelize in Nineveh. The storm was so strong that even the sailors with years of experience could not handle it and feared for their lives. They cried out to their gods, hoping one of the gods would save them from death (Jonah 1:5). Yet, there was no answer.

In the end, Jonah confessed that he was the reason for the storm. What is interesting about the story is: God used this situation as a testament to His mighty power. Through the calming of the storm, Jonah evangelized to the sailors, and they became people who feared the Lord of Israel and made vows. Ultimately, it was not about who or what had caused the storm, but it is about how God had used the storm to save souls.

My friend, when you experience a heavy storm in your life, God can use it to show His power and glory. Through the waves, He will equip you to be a blessing to many. While the storm is still roaring, He will be your defender and refuge. God will calm your storm. He will.

God works in the midst of the heavy storm