Overview 

1. Why does God allow us to face challenges?
2. The Lord is attracted to your needs
3. Even in your storm, Jesus has not lost sight of you
4. Let Jesus step into your boat and rely on His perfect love

Why does God allow us to face challenges?

Perhaps you have been doing your best, yet instead of things getting easier, you find yourself facing unexpected demands, delays, or challenges beyond your ability to handle. You may be wondering why the Lord allows these things to happen when He already knows what you’re going through.

We see something interesting that may help answer this question in Mark 6:30–44, in the account of the feeding of the 5,000.

After a long day of ministry, Jesus had invited His tired disciples to rest. But their plans were interrupted when a large multitude followed them. As Jesus taught the people and the day grew late, the disciples became concerned about how to feed everyone. With limited resources and no easy solution, they suggested sending the people away to buy their own food. Yet instead of sending the people away, Jesus told them, “You give them something to eat” (Mark 6:37).

In John’s account of the same miracle, Jesus asked Philip where they could buy bread for the multitude. Scripture reveals that Jesus was testing Philip, for He Himself already knew what He would do (John 6:5–6).

Now, why would Jesus test the disciples when He already had the answer? 

By allowing His disciples to experience the pressure of an overwhelming need, He wanted them to learn where to turn when they had no answers of their own. He wanted them to have a deep revelation that He is their very present help in times of need. 

So Jesus tests us not to show us up but to help us grow up. He does not test us to expose our failures or condemn us. He loves us just as we are, but He loves us too much to leave us that way.

As our good shepherd, He knows how to grow us spiritually. He is not afraid to let us experience delays, unexpected demands, or situations that stretch us because He wants us to become strong. These challenges are not meant to make us more self-reliant, but to help us grow in knowing Him and in learning to turn to Him for the help we need.

The Lord is attracted to your needs

Going back to Mark 6, while the disciples saw a problem too great for their limited resources, Jesus already knew how He would provide for the multitude.

Before the miracle even happened, Jesus looked up to heaven and gave thanks. He knew His Father’s heart and was confident that He would provide. Then He broke the bread and gave it to His disciples to distribute to the people.

Imagine the disciples repeatedly returning to Jesus for more bread as they fed the multitude. They kept coming back to Him to receive from His inexhaustible supply. This is a beautiful picture for our lives—we can keep coming back to Jesus to receive from Him.

And in this miracle, everyone ate until they were filled and satisfied, with twelve baskets full of leftovers! Jesus did not merely provide enough to get by. His supply exceeded what the people needed.

This is good news indeed for those of us who have needs!

When we encounter problems, we often feel frustrated or overwhelmed. But Jesus is so different. He is never frustrated by our needs. In fact, He is attracted to us when we have a need.

Why? Because He is our Savior! Just as a lifeguard rushes to rescue someone who is drowning, or a doctor responds when someone needs urgent medical attention, Jesus is drawn to those who need His help. Our needs do not drive Him away. They draw out His heart to rescue and provide for us.

And what is even more precious is that Jesus does not withhold His goodness from us even when our needs arise from our own mistakes.

Ps Lian shared a testimony from a brother in Poland who faced financial difficulties due to failed investments. Then, through a sermon by Pastor Prince, he learned that because of Christ’s finished work at the cross, God now responds to our mistakes not with judgment but with goodness and mercy. He was deeply touched by this revelation and began to trust in God’s abundant supply. He later received an unexpected promotion and was promised a special grant which covered all his debts and financial needs, with enough left over for a family vacation.

What a beautiful picture of our Savior’s heart! Even when we make mistakes, Jesus does not beat us up. He lifts us up and provides for us.

Whatever need you are facing today, remember that Jesus is not frustrated with you. You can keep coming back to Him, knowing that His supply is inexhaustible and His heart is always to provide for you.

Even in your storm, Jesus has not lost sight of you

After feeding the multitude, the Lord sent His disciples across the Sea of Galilee while He went up a mountain to pray. But while they were in the middle of the sea, a storm arose, and they found themselves struggling against the wind (Mark 6:45–48).

The disciples had been following the Lord’s instructions when the storm came upon them, yet He was nowhere in sight. Have you ever found yourself in a difficult situation and wondered where the Lord was? Perhaps you know that He loves you, but when things go wrong and you cannot see or feel His presence, you begin to wonder whether He is still watching over you.

But notice what Scripture says: Jesus saw His disciples straining at rowing. Even though Jesus was on the mountain and the disciples were far out at sea, His eye was still on them. They could not see Him, but He could see them. 

Zechariah 2:8 tells us, 

“For thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.’”

The Lord has His eye on us, not to watch us critically or to monitor us, but because we are the apple of His eye!

Think about that. You are so precious to Jesus that even when you cannot see Him, He has never lost sight of you. He sees every struggle, every fear, and every challenge you are facing.

Sometimes, the storms of life make us feel forgotten or abandoned. But our circumstances do not change how much Jesus loves us. His presence and care are not dependent on whether we can see or feel Him.

Whatever storm you may be going through today, take heart. You may not understand why things are happening, and you may not yet see a way out. But Jesus sees you, and He has not forgotten you. He knows exactly what you are facing, and His eyes have never left you.

Let Jesus step into your boat and rely on His perfect love

As the disciples struggled against the storm, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea. Interestingly, Mark 6:48 tells us that Jesus would have passed them by. So why didn’t He go straight to them?

Earlier, in Mark 4, the disciples had faced another storm while Jesus slept in the boat. In that episode, it was not the storm that woke the Lord, but the cries of His beloved disciples. When they called out to Him, He arose and stilled the storm.

Could it be that Jesus wanted them to remember what they had experienced before—that they could call upon Him in their time of need?

Yet when the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water, they thought He was a ghost and cried out in fear. Immediately, Jesus reassured them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid” (Mark 6:50).

When Jesus stepped into their boat, the wind ceased. The disciples were greatly amazed, but Scripture reveals something else important: They had not understood the miracle of the loaves because their hearts were hardened (Mark 6:51–52).

What had they failed to understand?

They had witnessed Jesus multiply five loaves and two fish to feed the multitude. Perhaps they understood that Jesus loved the people and wanted to provide for them. But they had not realized that the same love and provision were also available to them personally.

On the Sea of Galilee, the same Savior who had provided for the multitude was now coming to their rescue—even if it meant walking on water! Jesus wanted them to know that they, too, were the apple of His eye.

It is possible for us to believe that Jesus loves and provides for others, yet struggle to expect the same goodness for ourselves. Our Lord wants us to know that He has a portion of love for us, too, and to expect His goodness in our own lives. 

First John 4:16 NIV tells us to “know and rely on the love God has for us.” This is what it means to believe in His love—not merely knowing that He loves us, but relying on that love when we face difficulties.

So when you are in a storm, let Jesus into your boat. Is it a challenge at work? Let Him into your work situation. Is it a problem with your studies, finances, or relationships? Let Him into those areas of your life.

We may not always understand why we face certain challenges, and we do not need to have all the answers to rely on the Lord’s love. First John 4:17 tells us that love has been perfected among us so that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, “because as He is, so are we in this world.”

Here, Pastor Lian highlighted the connection between the Greek word for “judgment,” krisis, and the English word “crisis.” Even in our hardest moments, when everything seems to be going wrong, we can have boldness because of who we are in Christ. As Jesus is above every storm, financial crisis, and sickness, so are we in this world.

And what happens when we become established in this truth? First John 4:18 tells us that perfect love casts out fear. God does not want us to live tormented by fear. As we see afresh how perfectly He loves each and every one of us individually, fear will lose its hold on our hearts.

So whatever storm you are facing today, let Jesus step into your boat. You are the apple of His eye, and the same Savior who walked on water to reach His disciples is the One who loves you and cares for you today.

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