There is a storm raging in my life right now, and the ship is going down. Jesus is in the stern resting, and inviting me to come rest with Him. The first chapter of James says, "Consider it all joy when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance." I interpret that as "knowing that the testing of your TRUST produces perseverance." I have failed deeply in one area of my life, and I feel I have let down my family, my friends, but most of all my God. I was feeling very deeply troubled in my soul, but I remembered Romans 5 "There is no condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus." I have failed, Jesus knows I have failed, but this failure of mine does not cause Jesus to damn me. He is down in this mess with me, He is sympathetic, He loves me despite my lacking. But, He calls me to live up to what I have already attained, but that isn't through my own power, but through training with Jesus, to learn how to be like him by being with him. "Eventhough I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, Jesus you are with me, and you comfort me."

The storm is raging, the ship is going down, Jesus is reclining in the stern, and inviting me to come, hush and be still.