As followers of Christ, we often find ourselves in the midst of life’s storms, facing circumstances that challenge our faith and leave us asking, “Jesus, do you care?” The disciples in Mark 4:35-41 found themselves in a similar situation, and their experience can provide us with much-needed comfort and reassurance.

The passage begins with Jesus and his disciples setting out on a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee. As they journeyed, a great windstorm arose, and the waves began to crash into the ship, threatening to capsize it. Amid this chaos, the disciples turned to Jesus, sleeping peacefully in the stern of the boat. Their cries of desperation reveal the depth of their fear and the surfacing of their doubt: “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”

Isn’t the cry of our hearts the same as that of the disciples? This question, “Jesus, do you care?” is one that many of us have asked during our storms. Most of the time, we can keep that question hidden in our hearts. Yet when life is bumpy and hard, that hidden question surfaces. While that may make us uncomfortable, it doesn’t make Jesus uncomfortable. 

Jesus’ response in this passage is a powerful reminder of his unwavering care and concern for His followers. He immediately “rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’” and the storm ceased, demonstrating His authority over nature. His response to His disciples is also challenging. After calming the storm, He turns to His disciples and asks, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40).

In this moment, Jesus is not only calming the physical storm but also addressing the spiritual storm within the hearts of His followers. He cares too deeply for them to let that question, “Jesus, do you care?” remain hidden in their hearts. 

God knew the hidden questions in the disciples’ hearts on that day, and He knows the hidden questions in our hearts, too. Just as He cared to address the doubt in the disciples’ hearts, God cares to address the doubts in our own hearts. In this way, the storms we face can be turned for good. God can use the hard things we go through to surface and address the various doubts and lies lodged in our hearts. He cares too much about us to let them stay there. 

In response to their question, the disciples know more of Jesus’ presence and power. “Who is this, that even the wind and the waves obey him?” they ask. In our own storms, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual, we have the opportunity to behold more of our King as we bring our questions to God.

The story of Jesus calming the storm in Mark 4:35-41 is a powerful reminder that we can find comfort in knowing that Jesus cares for us. When the storms of life threaten to overwhelm us, we don’t have to be afraid. We can trust that we will know more of His presence and power as we cry out to Him.