Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God.

Everything around us has a beginning, and at that time, it was tiny. It was almost invisible. Those giant companies we know today—Google, Microsoft, Apple, Tesla—were started by one or two people with nothing more than an idea. At the beginning, they were weak, fragile, and insignificant. A minor setback could have wiped them out, and history would have never known their names.  

Even our lives began small. We were once just a few cells, growing into infants, then children, then adults. Every great historical figure—Newton, Einstein, Edison, Shakespeare—was once a child learning the basics of their craft. Imagine Shakespeare as a boy sitting in an English class, struggling to write. At the time, no one would have imagined he would shape literature forever.  

The Bible speaks of small beginnings, too. Jesus compared the kingdom of God to a mustard seed—the smallest of all seeds, yet it grows into a mighty tree where birds find shelter (Mark 4:30-32).  

This is a universal truth: small things grow, whether for good or for bad. Just as faith starts small and grows into something powerful, fear also begins as a tiny seed and, if left unchecked, can consume everything.  

In Mark 4, we see this truth play out in a dramatic way. The disciples, experienced fishermen, were caught in a storm at sea. They started with a small fear, but as the storm raged, that fear grew until it completely overwhelmed them. What started as uncertainty became panic, and they believed they were doomed.  

But Jesus was there the whole time. He was not panicked, not afraid. He was sleeping peacefully because He was, and is, the source of true peace. When the disciples finally turned to Him, He calmed the storm with just a word. Then, He turned to them and asked, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40).  

Fear and faith both start small, but only one can take root in our hearts. Today, we will explore three truths from this passage:  

1. The nature of fear—how it starts small but grows rapidly.  

2. The necessity of turning to Jesus before fear takes over.  

3. The power of faith—the small seed that can overcome every storm.  

Fear, like a weed, starts small but grows quickly. The disciples were experienced fishermen, accustomed to unpredictable waters, yet something about this storm unsettled them. Perhaps it was stronger than usual, or perhaps a deep sense of unease crept into their hearts. Whatever it was, the fear began as a small whisper of doubt.  

At first, they might have thought, This is bad, but we can handle it. But as the wind howled and waves crashed over the boat, that small doubt turned into What if we don’t make it? And then into full-blown panic: We are going to die! 

This is how fear works in our lives. It rarely starts as an overwhelming force. It begins as a passing thought:  

– What if things don’t work out? 

If we don’t take those thoughts to Jesus immediately, they take root. Doubt deepens, anxiety builds, and soon, fear takes control. Instead of seeing clearly, we view life through the lens of panic.  

That’s exactly what happened to the disciples. As the storm raged on, they let fear consume them. They waited until they were completely overwhelmed before turning to Jesus. And when they did, it wasn’t in faith but in desperation: “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” (Mark 4:38).  

This is the dangerous nature of fear—it not only shakes our confidence, but it distorts our perspective. The disciples, who had walked with Jesus, who had seen Him perform miracles, suddenly questioned whether He even cared about them. This is what fear does. It blinds us to the truth.  

But the truth was this: Jesus had been in the boat with them the whole time. He had never left. He wasn’t worried about the storm because He was greater than the storm.  

How often do we feel the same way? When life’s storms hit—when our finances collapse, when relationships break apart, when our health fails—we feel abandoned. We wonder, Does God even see me? Does He care?

But just as Jesus was with the disciples in that boat, He is with us in our storms. Deuteronomy 31:6 reminds us, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” 

Fear is inevitable in life. It will come. But the real question is: what do we do when it does? Will we let it grow and take over? Or will we turn to Jesus before it consumes us?  

The disciples made the mistake of waiting too long, letting fear overwhelm them. But even in their panic, Jesus did not abandon them. He responded, not with rebuke, but with authority.  

The key to overcoming fear is not to suppress it or ignore it but to take it to Jesus. The sooner we turn to Him, the sooner His peace will calm the storm in our hearts, even before He calms the storm around us.  

The disciples turned to Jesus, but they did so in a state of panic. They had waited until fear had completely overtaken them. By the time they woke Him, their fear had grown so large that they were no longer thinking clearly. Their desperate cry—“Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” (Mark 4:38)—revealed not only their distress but their doubt. In that moment, their fear had distorted the truth. They were no longer certain if Jesus even cared about them.  

But Jesus, in His perfect authority, did not respond to their fear with explanations or reassurance. He simply stood up, rebuked the wind and the waves, and suddenly, “it was completely calm” (Mark 4:39). He did not debate with their doubts or reason with their panic. Instead, He demonstrated His power.  

This is what happens when we bring our fears to Jesus. The circumstances may not always change immediately, but our hearts will. The storm outside may continue to rage, but the storm within us will be stilled. When we run to Jesus, we find the peace that fear tries to steal from us.  

Paul describes this peace in Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” 

The key is not just praying when the storm has reached its peak, but turning to Jesus at the first sign of fear. Imagine if the disciples had sought Him before their panic took hold. Imagine if, instead of being overwhelmed by doubt, they had trusted Him from the beginning.  

We often wait too long before turning to Jesus. We let worry take root, allowing it to grow until it seems impossible to overcome. We analyze, strategize, and try to manage on our own. Only when we are exhausted, when fear has consumed us, do we finally come to Him.  

But Jesus invites us to come immediately. He is not a last resort—He is the first and only answer. The disciples should have gone to Jesus the moment they felt fear creeping in, before their hearts were overcome by panic. And so should we.  

Consider Peter, who later found himself in another storm, walking on water toward Jesus. As long as his eyes were fixed on the Lord, he did the impossible. But the moment he looked at the wind and the waves, fear took over, and he began to sink (Matthew 14:30).  

Fear will always come, but the question is: will we let it grow, or will we take it to Jesus immediately? Will we hold onto our anxiety, or will we surrender it to Him?  

Turning to Jesus doesn’t mean we won’t face storms—it means we won’t face them alone. When fear comes, let us run to Him first, not as a last resort. The One who commands the wind and the waves is also the One who calms our hearts. When we trust Him, we will discover that His presence alone is enough to bring peace, even in the midst of the storm.

Jesus turned to His disciples and asked, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”(Mark 4:40).  

He wasn’t just questioning their fear—He was pointing to the root of the problem. Their fear had grown because their faith had not. They had seen Jesus perform miracles, teach with authority, and reveal the power of God. But when the storm came, fear overpowered their trust.  

Faith, like fear, starts small. It begins as a tiny seed—almost invisible, easily overlooked. But when nurtured, it grows into something strong and unshakable. Jesus had already taught them this lesson, comparing faith to a mustard seed: “Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree” (Matthew 13:32).  

The disciples had faith, but it was not yet strong enough to withstand the storm. Their problem was not the wind and waves—it was their perspective. They measured the size of the storm instead of the power of Jesus. They focused on the danger rather than the One who created the sea and controlled it with a word.  

This is the key difference between fear and faith:  

Faith does not mean we won’t feel afraid. It means we trust God more than our fears. Fear tells us that we are alone, that the storm is too big, that we are powerless. Faith reminds us that Jesus is with us, that He is greater than any storm, and that nothing can stand against His power.  

Isaiah 41:10 reassures us: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”  

Storms will come. Difficulties will shake us. But when our faith is rooted in Jesus, we are not shaken. Even when the waves rise and the winds howl, we remain standing—not because we are strong, but because He is.  

The disciples learned this lesson that night. And as their faith grew, they would one day stand in the face of greater storms—persecution, trials, and challenges—without fear, knowing the One who was with them.  

So what about us? Are we measuring the size of our storm, or the size of our God? Are we letting fear take root, or are we nurturing faith?  

Jesus is asking us the same question today: “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”  

The good news is that faith, no matter how small, can grow. And when it does, it will overcome the storms of life—not because of our strength, but because of His. When we trust Him, we find peace in the storm, knowing that the One who calms the wind and waves is also holding us securely in His hands.

Summary: Choosing Faith Over Fear 

Fear and faith both begin as small seeds. One grows like a weed, quickly taking over, spreading doubt, and suffocating peace. The other, when nurtured, grows into a mighty tree that stands firm even in the fiercest storms. The choice is ours: which seed will we cultivate?  

The disciples found themselves caught in a terrifying storm, but their biggest mistake was not the fear itself—it was allowing that fear to take over before turning to Jesus. They waited until panic had consumed them before waking Him. Yet even in their desperation, Jesus was there. He was always in the boat, never leaving their side.  

With just a word, Jesus calmed the storm. But His lesson for them was not just about the wind and the waves. He asked them, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40). His words challenged them—and they challenge us today.  

Life is full of storms. We face uncertainty, financial struggles, broken relationships, sickness, and fears about the future. These waves threaten to pull us under. But Jesus is still in the boat. He has never left.  

Jesus is asking us the same question today: Will you trust Me? Will you believe that I am greater than this storm?  

Remembering His Word is planting a small seed of faith in our hearts. Each time we turn to Him in the face of fear—even in the smallest way—our faith grows. Like a mustard seed, it starts tiny but has the potential to become a mighty tree.  

Think of Shakespeare as a young student struggling to write in an English class. He didn’t become the writer we know today overnight. He kept writing, kept learning, and his efforts bore fruit. The same is true for faith. If we continue trusting Jesus, turning to Him in every storm, and reciting His Word, our faith will grow.  

The question is, will we keep trusting Him and allow our faith to grow, or will we give up? It is our choice.

Let’s pray together.

Lord, we come before You, acknowledging that we often let fear grow in our hearts. We face storms that shake us, doubts that overwhelm us, and uncertainties that make us anxious. But today, we choose to turn to You.  

Help us to trust that You are always with us, even when we cannot see You. Strengthen our faith so that it may grow, pushing out fear and filling us with peace.  

Jesus, calm the storms within us. Let Your presence be our refuge, and remind us that You are greater than anything we face. When fear tries to take root, help us to plant and nurture the seed of faith instead.  

Lord, just as a mustard seed grows into a mighty tree, let our faith in You continue to grow. May we hold onto Your Word, reciting it in times of fear, trusting that even the smallest step toward You will lead to greater faith. Let us not give up when we struggle, but keep pressing forward, believing that You are working in us.  

We surrender our fears to You and ask for the faith to trust You completely until we become a great tree of faith in You. In Your name, we pray. Amen.