Help! I'm tired and confused.

Let’s take a poll.

Raise your hand if you love daylight’s savings. Raise your hand if you dislike daylight’s savings.

I agree with the second group. This season of daylights savings is depressing. Literally, depression increases during this season of the year. There is a term called, holiday depression that seems to define itself. According to Johns Hopkins medical, 21 million American adults suffer from this experience.

It’s cold, it’s dark, people are sick, even the tree’s around us are dying.

What do moments like this teach us about God?

In tonights story, we find the disciples tired and confused. In the end we’ll learn how to follow God when we feel the same.

First, during seasons of weariness,

Jesus may seem absent, but he’s praying.

Often our low moments come after high moments. This was true of the disciples. “It is good to be on the mountaintop if you don’t get careless and step off a cliff." Warren W. Wiersbe

They were sent out to minister. They saw amazing success. Then Jesus calls them to come away and rest. Instead, a huge crowd interrupted their plans. They fed the crowd through a miraculous multiplication of fish and bread. The moment was so exciting that another gospel tells us the people were ready to make Jesus King. (Wouldn’t you want a king that can supply endless free meals?) Instead of Jesus receiving a crown, this is what he does...

45 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. 47 And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land.

Jesus is different. When the crowd was most excited, he sent them away. He wasn't there to get famous. He was there to serve. After a long day of ministry, instead of taking a nap or eating a late night snack, he takes a hike!

When he was most tired, he wanted to pray.

We often use the opposite logic. I’m tired I’m going to skip church. I have homework, I’m going to pass on spending time in God’s word.

Do you notice that we do not use this mentality with other relationships and things? I never hear someone say, “I’m exhausted, I can’t look at instagram tonight.” or “I’m sad, I’ll pass on watching my favorite show.”

For people and things we love, we turn to them for rest. When I’m struggling and confused, I move toward Jordyn. I talk with her. Because I know that our conversation will bring healing.

How much more should we go to God. He is the only one who truly knows us and fully loves us.

Let God be your safe place and your ultimate confidant. He will never betray your trust, slander your name, and share your secrets.

This is what Jesus did as his disciples were rowing across the sea. While they were rowing, he was praying. He wasn’t with them physically, but he was praying for them spiritually.

The same is true for you. Do you know that Jesus prays for you?

Romans 8:34 “... Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”

Hebrews 7:25 “Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”

What an amazing truth, we often claim we don’t have time for our savior who lives to pray on our behalf.

Some of you are too busy rowing ahead that you forget Jesus is watching over you and praying for you. Just because you don’t see him doesn’t mean he doesn’t see you.

Next,

Jesus may seem powerless, but he’s in control.

48 And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them.

Jesus seems powerless! He’s the one who sent them out to see. And now, he’s just watching as a windstorm is pushing against them.

Life often feels this way. You’re trying to go the direction God wants you to take. And bam, it feels like everything is against you. You may even begin to think, “If God is praying for me and watching over me, where is he? Why isn’t he stopping this storm?”

One of the reasons he may seem inactive, is because he is patient. He knows the right time to help.

Many regard Lionel Messi as one of the greatest soccer players of all time. And yet, there is one statistic that is drastically lower than his peers, distance covered. In one of his recent seasons, this was the report,

“Messi has scored six times and created two assists so far but there is one area in which the Argentine is slacking compared to the rest of the players in Europe's elite competition.

According to Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Messi has run the least metres per minute out of any other forward in the Champions League this term.”

What journalist used to criticize, they now view as genius. Messi doesn’t walk because he lacks control, he walks because he’s in control. This method allows his timing to be excellent, when team mates pass the ball, he’s watching and waiting. He’s ready.

Jesus’ is in control of the game, as a result, he’s not afraid to wait.

And about the fourth watch (3-6am) of the night he came to them, walking on the sea.

The waves that were making the disciples exhausted, Jesus put under his feet. He wasn’t shaking, he wasn’t scared, he simply walked towards his friends.

If he was in control this whole time, why didn’t he stop the storm from the shore?

Five thousand people were fed during the miraculous fish and bread meal, then came a storm. In the book of Acts the disciples witnessed, five thousand people trust Jesus, and then, the bible explains that a storm of persecution came against the church.

The disciples would need to learn tonight that though Jesus seems powerless, he’s in control.

Sometimes, God will allow it to get dark so that you will look to him for light.

Finally,

Jesus may seem scary, but he’s the solution.

He meant to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, 50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

In the Old Testament there was a scene when God passed by Moses to give him a glimpse of his glory. In a similar way, the disciples had an opportunity to catch a glimpse of Jesus’ divinity by watching him walk on water. Instead, they did what we would likely do if we were wet, tired, and confused. They screamed!

They were terrified of the man that they spend most of their time with. In the darkness, they didn’t recognise their closes friend.

This is what weariness and confusion does to us. What begins with a weary task turns into a storm, the storm turns into darkness, and it becomes so dark that we don’t even recognize Jesus though he’s coming to help us.

The Bible teaches, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” The opposite is also true, when our hearts are clouded by darkness, it is hard to see God clearly.

Often God's method of help seems terrifying at first.

Tell story of my solution to secret sin in High School. At first, the solutions seemed terrifying.

Invite Jesus into your boat. Don’t be afraid of him. He’s here to help.

51 And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, 52 for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

If Hollywood wrote this scene, it would have a much different ending. The disciples would laugh, hug, chant “Jesus, Jesus”, maybe slap each other on the backs with the fish leftovers they had.

Instead, their hearts were stubborn. They didn’t let the miracles they just witnessed sink into their hearts to change them. Maybe they were too tired. Clearly, they were still confused. But most importantly, Jesus was in the boat with them.

You aren’t expected to understand Jesus perfectly, but if you want the waves to calm, you must have him in your boat.

Whatever storm you are facing, invite him into your boat.