June 20: Insight Post by David Schleyer
Weekly Reading: Matthew 14:22-33, Mark 6:45-52
Friday Reflection
Trust in Jesus Brings Peace: When Jesus got into the boat with the disciples, the wind and waves died down, showing that Jesus brings peace into our lives when we trust Him. This teaches us that trusting in Jesus can calm the chaos and bring peace to our hearts.
Friday Verse
Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7 (NLT)
Friday Questions
How can I invite Jesus into my life to experience His peace? Where do I need to surrender my anxieties to Him and trust in His calming presence?
Friday Insight Post
by David Schleyer
There’s a moment in Matthew 14 and Mark 6 that hits different when life feels like it’s spiraling. The disciples are caught in a storm. Jesus isn’t in the boat. He’s on the mountain praying, and they’re struggling against wind and waves that just won’t let up. It’s the “fourth watch of the night” (around 3 am) when He finally comes to them, walking on the water. Terrified, they think He’s a ghost until He says, “Don’t be afraid. Take courage. I am here!”
Peter steps out onto the water, trusting fully, until the wind catches his attention, and he starts to sink. Jesus saves him, of course. But then something happens: when Jesus gets into the boat, the wind stops.
Let that settle in. The storm didn’t stop when Peter had faith. It didn’t stop when Jesus spoke from the water. The storm stopped when Jesus stepped into the boat.
This hits especially close to home. A few years ago, we were walking through a health scare with our daughter, something no test could explain and no doctor could name. We went from appointment to appointment, hearing more confusion than clarity. No treatment plan. No timeline. Just the slow erosion of control. There were nights I’d lie awake, trying to hold it together for my family, but feeling like I was breaking apart inside. It felt like we were in that same storm, straining against the wind, exhausted, unsure if it would ever stop.
But then came a quiet moment, no flashing miracle, no sudden diagnosis, just a sense that Jesus was in it with us. We still didn’t have answers, but we had presence. His presence. And that shifted everything. There was still wind, but it no longer owned us. Peace settled in, not because the storm disappeared, but because we weren’t facing it alone anymore.
I don’t know about you, but I want peace to come when things make sense. Jesus offers peace that shows up even when nothing does.
Take five minutes today to be still. No phone. No music. Just sit and name the places in your life that feel stormy. Say them out loud if you need to. Then, simply pray: “Jesus, get in the boat with me.” Don’t look for the wind to stop right away. Just notice the peace that starts to settle in when you know you’re not alone.
And I get it; being still is hard. Thirty seconds feels like an eternity for me sometimes, let alone five full minutes. But maybe that’s exactly why we need it. Not to fix everything, but to make space for the One who can.
David Schleyer
Elementary Small Group Leader
New Hope Church
Lorton, Virginia
www.newhope.org