The Gospel paints an interesting picture: Imagine the small fishing boat, probably low to the water, to allow for nets to be easily pulled in. The waves crashing over the side and growing stronger by the minute. No electric bilge pump to clear the hold, no cellphones to call for help, and no Coast Guard to come to our rescue. And there, through the flashes of lighting, the disciples see Jesus, asleep on a cushion at stern of the boat.

We all know the rest of the story. The disciples wake Jesus, he calms the waves, and then he asks the age-old question we still wrestle with today: “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”

Quite possibly, the oldest emotion is in fact fear. A Google search for quotes about fear will produce over 1 billion results in 3/10th of a second. Many of the quotes on the first page of results are ones we are familiar with, and if we were asked to share a quote about fear, it might be, The only thing we have to fear is fear itself, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

In our world today, there is so much more than a stormy passage across a lake to worry about. From pandemics that sweep the globe, to the random violence we inflict upon each other, to the human suffering from wars being waged in far off corners of the world, to the more personal, such as the cancer eating away at the life of a loved one. We are surrounded by events that, the more we dwell on them, the more they can cripple our own wellbeing.

So where do we turn? The answer may lie in the question Jesus asked his disciples. Our faith.

Biblical scholars discussing the meaning of faith state, Hebrews 11 teaches us that pistis (πίστις) is about more than belief—“faith” is a present affirmation of God's existence, confidence in his ability to enact change in the world, and certainty that his promises will be fulfilled.

But is this the type of faith we presently have? Are we confident that God exists, that God can enact change in our messy world, and that the promise of eternal life will be fulfilled?

As we go about our day, let’s focus on placing more trust in Jesus and his watchful eye and healing power. Let’s pray more, not only for the world around us, but for God’s help in building our faith. And let’s put our faith into action, to show the world who we really are.

Remember, having a strong faith is much like staying in physical shape. Faith is not just something we can say we have unless we work to strengthen it. It requires our renewed commitment to love and serve the Lord each and every day.