‘But immediately He talked with them and said to them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”’ (Mark 6:50)

Our struggles are never easy. Sometimes we may put in the effort or prayers, but nothing improves. We may feel like the disciples struggling in the storm, against strong winds.

But Jesus appeared to them and told them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” Take heart.

What are 3 things we can take heart in?

1. Jesus sees our struggles

While Jesus was on the shore, He saw the disciples struggling to row their boat in the middle of the sea (Mark 6:48).

Jesus always sees us. He cares for us (1 Peter 5:6-7).

Sometimes, other people may not really be able to understand what we are going through. If we do badly in school and we share our feelings with someone who does very well, he may not understand.

But Jesus endured the greatest pain on the cross. No one has suffered more pain than Him, so no one understands more than Him.

2. Jesus is always able to reach us where we are in our struggles

Jesus and the disciples were separated by 5-6km of crashing waves (John 6:19). Yet He overcame gravity to walk on water and reach the disciples when they needed Him.

To walk 5-6km may take 1 to 2 hours. Maybe the disciples thought, “Why is God not helping us?” But Jesus was already at work, walking towards them.

Jesus wanted the disciples to wait for His perfect time. Even if nothing changes, we must believe that Jesus is already at work.

3. Jesus reassures us and helps us

When the disciples saw Jesus walking on the sea, they thought they saw a ghost (Mark 6:49). They didn’t even recognise Jesus!

But the first thing Jesus did was to reassure the disciples: “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”’ (Mark 6:50)

We can take heart because Jesus right here in the storm with us. With our all-power Jesus, even the impossible becomes possible.

When the disciples realised it was Jesus, even an ordinary man like Peter could walk on water (Matthew 14:29).

When Jesus stepped into the boat, the wind stopped (Mark 6:51). There is no storm Jesus cannot calm in our lives.

Then immediately, the boat reached the shore where they were heading (John 6:21). They reached their location. With Jesus, we will reach where He wants us to go.

Conclusion

God is a God who draws near to take care of the problems of His people. He sees your struggles. He meets you where you are. He gives you what you need.

As you walk through your sufferings, fix your mind on your God of grace.

Family Altar

Use these discussion questions and our prayer as a guide for your family altar.

Parents can lead the prayer and invite their children to repeat after them or encourage their children to take the lead, making family altar time a shared journey of faith.

Discussion questions:

1. Can you think of a time that God answered your prayers?

2. Share a problem that your family can pray for you.

Prayer in words:

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we pray. Dear Lord Jesus, You created the winds and waves. Even they obey You. When we face difficulties, we do not need to be afraid, because You are here with us. Lord, help us with the problems we face. [Share the family’s prayer requests.] We believe that You hear us and will help us. Lord, You are awesome and powerful. We love You, Jesus. Amen.