Steady in the Storm
Even in the waves, the steady presence of Jesus brings rest to the heart.
Abide Above Devotional by Miles Stanford
Photo Credit: Unsplash
There are seasons when the Father allows the winds to rise, not to break us but to loosen our grip on self-dependence. Faith, as Miles Stanford reminds us, begins when self-dependence ends. The Father uses sorrow, failure, and disappointment to teach us to rest in His sufficiency. It is there, in what appears to be defeat, that our faith becomes living and practical.
When we cling to our plans, our reasoning, or our ability to make things happen, we are often carried only by our own momentum. But when the storm strips those securities away, the soul learns to lean fully on the One who cannot be moved. The Father's eternal counsel stands firm; even our mistakes become occasions for His grace to shine brighter. What once felt like loss becomes the very space where His power is perfected.
The abiding life is not a life of uninterrupted calm, but of unbroken trust. It is discovering that the One who indwells us is steering the vessel. Every wave that once threatened to sink us becomes proof that Jesus Himself carries us forward. When we rest in His counsel, peace is no longer dependent on the weather, but on the One who commands it.
Faith grows best where sight fails. When our understanding fades and our strength gives way, that is not the end of faith but its beginning. It is the sacred moment when our self-reliance dies, and dependence upon God is born anew.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
My child, I am not moved by the storms that unsettle your heart. I am your refuge and your steady ground. When you turn from striving and rest in Me, you will find that what seemed like defeat is the very soil in which My life takes root.
I have already made you complete in My Son. Do not measure your faith by how strong you appear, but by how willing you are to depend on Me. When your plans crumble and your strength fades, I remain. My grace abounds where your effort ends.
Trust that I am working all things according to My good pleasure. Every disappointment is held within My purpose, every sorrow woven into My care. Walk by faith, not by sight, and you will see that your life is hidden with Christ in Me.
Real-Life Analogy
Imagine standing beneath a steady rainfall. At first, you try to shield yourself, but the longer you resist, the more drenched you become. Eventually, you surrender and simply let the rain fall. You stop controlling it and begin to feel its rhythm. In the same way, when you stop trying to manage life through your own strength and yield to the presence of Jesus within you, His peace begins to saturate your heart.
When discouragement visits or a plan unravels, pause and acknowledge His presence within. You might quietly say, “Lord, I depend on You to express Your calm and confidence through me in this moment.” As you yield, His life flows where your control once ruled, and peace quietly replaces strain.
Prayer of Confidence
Father, I thank You that I lack nothing in Your Son. You have given me Your peace, Your wisdom, and Your strength through Your Spirit within me. I rest in Your sufficiency, knowing that every storm becomes an opportunity to see more of Your steady love. I rejoice that You are accomplishing Your purpose in and through me today, and that nothing is wasted in Your hands.
Scripture References for the Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture Section
Colossians 2:10, Philippians 2:13, Romans 8:28, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Colossians 3:3, 2 Corinthians 5:7