1John 4:7-10 / Ps 71:1-4, 7-8/ Matt 6:34-44

I wish I tell you that when you come to Jesus, all your problems will be over. I wish I tell you that when you give your life to God, it will all be clear sailing. I wish I tell you that pursuing Jesus would mean an easy life and an easy road. But I can’t tell you that in honesty. Life is tough for everyone, including Christians.

Dear Dionysus,

I hope this letter finds you in good health and spirits. As a fellow Christian, I wanted to share with you the struggles we face in our daily lives.

We till the soil, plant seeds, and tend our farms, but they don’t always flourish. We fall ill, and our bodies weaken. We labor to sell our produce, but often experience losses.

In these moments of hardship, I find myself questioning God’s providence. Why do we suffer? Why do our efforts seem futile?

And yet, as I think on your writings, I’m reminded that our struggles are not separate from our spiritual journey. You taught us that God’s wisdom is often hidden in the darkness. Our sufferings can be a means of purification.

Help me, dear Dionysus, to see the divine in the midst of our struggles. Our farming, our illnesses, and our losses be opportunities for us to grow in faith, hope, and love.

May God bless you and guide you.

Your brother in Christ,

Here’s a response from Dionysus the Areopagite:

Dear brother in Christ,

I received your letter and sensed the weight of your struggles. Farming, like the spiritual life, is a journey marked by hesitation and hardship. Yet, it is precisely in these challenges that we discover the depths of God’s providence.

Do not be discouraged by the appearance of your farm or the setbacks you face. For it is in the darkest soil that the seed of faith takes root. The Scriptures tell us that a grain of wheat must fall into the earth and die. Otherwise, it remains alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit (John 12:24).

Your struggles are not in vain. They invite you to surrender to God’s will. They remind you to trust in His goodness. Find joy even in the midst of adversity. Remember that our Lord Himself was a gardener, cultivating the soil of human hearts.

You find strength in the words of the Apostle Paul. “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are persecuted, but not forsaken. We are struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).

May God bless your farm, your family, and your faith.

Your brother in Christ,

Dionysus the Areopagite

We fall sick as others but we have Jesus Christ. Our farms are not the best. Yet, we are with Christ. Our Children are not always the best at school in our society but we have school. We are not the best to have job after completing school but we have Jesus Christ. No matter struggle but we are with Jesus Christ. You are in full sight of God.

Jesus is more than you think. But as a follower of Jesus you will never face the storms of life alone. God is always watching. God is always available. God is always caring. We are going to see those three truths illustrated for us today. Late that night, the disciples were in their boat in the middle of the lake. Jesus was alone on land. He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. Jesus knows about your storm.

Sometimes when you are in serious trouble, you start to think that God is not aware of your situation. But if you are going through “trouble” today, you can be sure that Jesus sees you. He knows that you are in a storm. He knows that you are struggling.

You feel that you are stuck out in the middle of nowhere. You think you are far away from God’s watchful eye. But it’s not true. God sees it all. He knows your situation. He knows what you are going through. Whenever you find yourself in the middle of one of life’s storms, you are never out of God’s sight. The Lord knows about your situation even before it happens.

He remains in control at every moment. But the storm and the disciples were in His hands. Jesus was too far away to physically see the boat through the stormy darkness. Still, He always knew their precise location. You are never out of God’s sight

The disciples thought Jesus was a ghost. How many times have you thought the devil was at work, when in reality it was God Himself? How many times did you blame that difficult season in life on the devil? God allowed that season. He watched you go through part of it. Then He came to you in it. Our human nature struggles greatly to see God during a crisis.

It is hard for us to recognize Him in a trial or some other trouble. Stressful situations obscure our perception of God. Regardless of what you are going through, you are never out of God’s reach. You feel like you are stuck in the middle of the sea. You think you are going nowhere and are far away from any help or rescue. But remember, God is always there.

Jesus is “walking on the water” coming toward them. This is a true miracle. Jesus walking on top of the water, demonstrating his power over nature and his own true nature as God. Here is what the disciples did not know. They did not know that Jesus was watching them.

They were unaware that he was already headed toward them. When you are going through a valley, it feels like Jesus is not watching. When going through some trouble, it feels like Jesus is not coming to help. You are so focused on the storm and the rowing. You are just trying to get through the storm to safety. You are not aware that Jesus has been watching you.

He is waiting for the right time to show up. Jesus is already on His way to help you. Regardless of your situation, you are never out of God’s reach.  You are never out of God’s sight. You are never out of God’s reach and you are never out of God’s care.

Ask your heart: My heart Why are you so terrified too much?

Jesus is taking too you!

Take heart. It is I, have no fear.

Take courage I am here.

Don’t be afraid.