Rachel Whisman

The rain began battering against the classroom windows. Lights flickered here and there. Gusts of wind brought in a wicked storm that my students had a front row seat to watch. Tension was building in the classroom as the minutes ticked by without an end in sight to the storm. Their anxiety was growing, and to settle it in more, the lights went off again, but then in a matter of seconds they came back on. My students were frazzled and for good reason. 

Last year, a tornado bulldozed through our town, ruining some of my students’ homes. Therefore, anytime they encountered a thunderstorm, they reasoned that a tornado followed close behind. Using this moment, I drew my student’s attention to me. I had just looked at the radar and saw that in just a matter of an hour, the storm would be gone, but they had no clue. 

Gathering their attention on me, I looked at them and gently asked them, “Do you trust me?” I could see their eyes were gripped by fear, but they nodded slowly. Before I pressed more, I was struck by how familiar this scene was to Mark 4, where Jesus calmed the sea. His disciples fretted over a storm, and so were my students. They were filled with dread of the impending unknown of a storm. As they nodded yes to me, in that moment, I didn’t want the storm to end, but I wanted their trust in me. I wanted them to know that they were safe because I had them. If they remembered and believed in my love for them, then I knew they could endure the storm with greater bravado. 

I continued and asked them, “Have I proven to you that I love you? That I care for you?” Instantly, they responded with, “Yes.” My heart squeezed as I heard their answer. I also internally reflected on how these answers were true in response to Jesus as well. Has He proven His love to me? Yes, He sent His Son to redeem me and His Spirit to guide and comfort me. Has He proven that He cares for me? Yes, I just needed to flip back through my journals and passages of scripture to be reminded. 

I expounded on this and pressed deeper, “Since you trust me, and know that I have proven my love for you, I am here with you. I am not going to leave, but stay with you, and we are going to get through this together.” When they internalized this, their worried lines softened, and so did the weight of their fear. These were just faint echoes of the truth of who God is for us as well (Hebrews 13:5). 

The rain continued pelting, but my class was able to move on. Thirty minutes later, we lined up for lunch, and the worry crept back in because the storm had not subsided. As we headed down the hallway, one of my students nervously mentioned to me, “…but Ms.Whisman…you’re not going to be in the cafeteria with us. Who’s going to help us?” I paused with nothing in response; the trepidation was evident. I couldn’t be in all places at all times. I couldn’t guarantee their safety, only my intentions, and that’s what I told him, “I won’t be, but if anything happens, I am coming straight to y’all.” 

From earlier, the feeling of being on the mountain top from reminding them of my genuine love I had for them, to now knowing the frailty of my limitations as a human. I couldn’t be everywhere, but God was able to comfort them even when I couldn’t and now it was my turn to trust in Him. 

When we face challenges in life, God is omnipotent; He is all-powerful, and nothing is too hard for Him (Psalm 135:6). He can end the storm. He can relieve the pains in our lives by taking it away or He might grant us strength to endure it. We don’t know until they come. In the midst of them, do we, by faith, take His hand in trust, or retreat to the tumultuous waves rocking us unsteadily? Faith in Jesus is what is regarded most highly throughout the Gospels. He continually asks, “Do you believe me? Do you trust me? Do you have faith in me?” That’s what I wanted from my students and that’s what He wants from us now. He desires us to respond with “yes” and believe in Him, whether the sun is shining bright or the days are dismal, and you are in distress. He is your help in the midst of it all. We don’t have to be nervous like my student wondering if God is going to be with us. He will be, but even if you are it won’t taint the truth of His nearness. He will never abandon us in our time of need (Psalm 46:1). 

The radar was right. Within the hour, the sun beamed through the sky as if nothing had happened. All panic was abated and my students were fine. We did not hear an audible, “Peace, be still!” Yet the Lord calmed the hearts of my children. We are not very different from them because He does the same with us as we are still regarded as His children. 

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”

-John 10:28