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Let’s be honest. There are days when I wish Jesus would snap His fingers, stop the wind, and calm the waves. No more chaos. No more fear. No more late nights lying awake, wondering what will happen next.
But often, He doesn’t. The storm keeps raging.
And that’s exactly what happened in Matthew 14. The disciples were caught in the middle of a violent sea. They had been rowing all night, the wind against them, their strength spent. Then Jesus came walking toward them on the water — and instead of celebrating, they panicked. They thought He was a ghost.
Then comes the line that changes everything:
“But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.”
— Matthew 14:27 KJV
How could I have missed this? All my years of reading this passage, and I missed what Jesus does first. He doesn’t calm the storm. He calms His disciples. Before He speaks peace to the wind, He speaks courage to their hearts.
That truth stops me in my tracks: sometimes the greater miracle is not when the storm stops, but when our fear does.
Jesus First Calms Us with His Presence
I’ll be honest — this hit me right where I am. Recently, I retired from a job I had held for nearly three decades. I packed up my desk, tears in my eyes, memories flooding back. My coworkers lined the pathway that led from my office to the back door and applauded as I left — a moment both humbling and heartbreaking. It wasn’t how I pictured my career ending.
And yet, even as the storm of uncertainty swirled around me, Jesus whispered courage into my soul: “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.”
That’s when it clicked: maybe He’s not always going to fix the storm first. Maybe He wants to fix me. To steady my heart before He stills the waves.
When Life Feels Out of Control
Jesus says: “Take courage, I AM in control.”
“And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”
— Colossians 1:17 KJV
I don’t know about you, but control is the first thing I grab for when life feels shaky. Yet every time, God reminds me — it’s not mine to hold. It never was.
When Finances Feel Uncertain
Jesus says: “Take courage, I AM your Provider.”
“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
— Philippians 4:19 KJV
This one gets me in the gut. When the paycheck stopped, fear roared. But then I remember — provision has always come from Him, not from a company.
When You Feel Unseen or Alone
Jesus says: “Take courage, I AM with you.”
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
— Isaiah 41:10 KJV
Sometimes it’s not the storm itself that breaks us — it’s the loneliness inside it. But His presence changes everything.
When Grief Overwhelms
Jesus says: “Take courage, I AM your Comfort.”
“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”
— 2 Corinthians 1:3–4 KJV
Grief has a way of convincing us the storm will never end. But comfort doesn’t wait until the skies are clear — it meets us in the middle of the storm.
When Anxiety Steals Your Peace
Jesus says: “Take courage, I AM your Peace.”
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
— John 14:27 KJV
I used to think peace meant silence, stillness, and everything under control. But Jesus redefines peace: it’s His presence, not my circumstances.
When the Future Feels Uncertain
Jesus says: “Take courage, I AM your Guide.”
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
— Proverbs 3:5–6 KJV
I don’t have a five-year plan anymore. And maybe that’s the point. He’s asking me to trust Him step by step.
Take Courage Now
Maybe your storm hasn’t stopped yet. Maybe the waves are still crashing, the questions still circling, the fear still knocking at the door.
But listen — Jesus is already speaking to you.
He doesn’t say, “Wait until I calm the sea, then you can be at peace.”
He says, “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.”
That’s the greater miracle — not calmer seas, but a calmer soul.
So today, I’m challenging you (and myself): don’t wait for the storm to end to find the courage. Take it now, because the great I AM is already with you.