Mark 4:37

There arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow.

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Some of life’s storms—a great sorrow , a bitter disappointment, a crushing defeat— suddenly come upon us. Others may come slowly , appearing on the uneven edge of the horizon no larger than a person’ s hand. But trouble that seems so insignificant spreads until it covers the sky and overwhelms us.

Yet it is in the storm that God equips us for service. When God wants an oak tree, He plants it where the storms will shake it and the rains will beat down upon it. It is in the midn ight battle with the elements that the oak develops its rugged fiber and becomes the king of the forest.