Peace Be Still

I've always been enamored with the ocean. Ever since I was little, I enjoyed the sound of the waves hitting the beach as seagulls squawked nosily overhead. However, growing up in land-locked Arizona, I haven't had many chances to spend much day to day time around the sea. That changed for 3 weeks last summer when I worked on a hospital ship that was providing medical care to central american countries. The ship docked a few miles off the coast, so I lived each day surrounded by water. I finally started to understand the awesome power of the ocean and why it is held, especially by seamen, in a place of such respect, awe, and fear. We didn't encounter any major storms, but we had our share of rough water, and I saw how much effort it took to steer in those pounding waves.

During His earthly ministry, Christ also spent time with the sea, specifically the Sea of Galilee. His disciples, who were fishermen by trade and thus familiar with sailing, often took Him across the sea as He ministered in different cities. Mark 4:36-40 relates the story of one of these voyages and tells how Jesus was asleep in the back of the ship when a great tempest arose. Verse 37 states, "And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full", meaning the storm was so huge it threatened to capsize the ship. Now, the disciples were not novice sailors and had probably been through storms before, but even they were afraid "and they awake [Jesus], and said unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?"(verse 38) The power of the waves had frightened the apostles into believing that they were going to die.

However in verses 39-40 we read "And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" Christ brought peace to the raging waves and billowing winds and then asked that simple question "Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?". The apostles had witnessed miracles and testified that Jesus was the Christ, and yet when their faith was tested in the storm that threatened to destroy them, they forsook their faith and thought that Christ would allow them to sink.

Often in life we are surrounded by waves and winds that obscure our destination and leave us to feel that we are directionless in a sea of doubt and despair. But Christ asks just one thing of us "Be not afraid, only believe." (Mark 5:36). Faith is the easiest and the most difficult component in learning to become like our Heavenly Father and Christ. They have perfect faith and desire us to have it too. But how do we obtain faith? How can we even start?

Alma gives us guidance on planting the seed of faith in our hearts during his discourse to the Zoramites. He beings in Alma 32:20-21 "And now as I said concerning faith-faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true. And now, behold, I say unto you, and I would that ye should remember that God is merciful unto all who believe on his name; therefore he desireth, in the first place, that ye should believe, yea, even on his word." So what we learn from this is that faith doesn't mean believing something because we've seen it, but it is believing in those things which the spirit can testify to us are true. It's like the quote from the Santa Claus "Believing isn't seeing, seeing is believing." We don't have to see everything physically if we have faith in those things that are true. Secondly, God is merciful and He wants us to understand! He has given us scriptures and doctrine so that we can grow closer to Him and become more like him. And when we have faith to believe that, then we will grow toward God.

So how do we start? Alma 32:26-27 tells us that we must first have a desire to believe. Desire gives us direction. Most people don't just wake up one day and decide they want to run a marathon. It usually starts with a desire to be physically active, to run, and then the idea comes. Faith is the same way. It's not common for someone to wake up and suddenly believe in everything the gospel teaches. They must first have a desire to believe and understand.

Alma 32:28, 33-34, 37, 41-42 then counsels to compare the word (which symbolizes many things, including different aspects of the gospel-like faith) to a seed, plant the seed, nurture the seed, and encourage it's growth. As the seed grows into a fruitful tree, we can see that it is a good seed. In this way our faith has grown from the potential of the seed (a desire to grow) into a fruitful tree. As we plant the desire for faith in Christ in our heart, nourish it, and allow it to grow, then we will find that we can believe in the words of Christ, believe that He is our Savior, and know that He will always be with us in the trials of our lives.

Looking out my sunny window, it's sometimes hard to remember that storms can arise suddenly and obscure the sun that lightens my day, but I know that the true Son can pierce the clouds and tempests in life and with faith nothing is impossible. Just as Christ saved His apostles on the Sea of Galilee, He will lead us safely home if we have faith in Him.

Further reading:
Matthew 14:25-33
Luke 17:5-6
James 1:5-6
3 Nephi 17:7-8
Ether 12:6-22, 28-31
Articles of Faith #4