Calm Seas Never Make Skilled Sailors

Why Hard Times Shape Us, Not Destroy Us

Opening Analogy

Imagine a young sailor stepping aboard a ship for the first time. The sun is shining, the waters are calm, and the voyage feels promising. But as the days pass, the wind changes. Storms rise. The sailor finds himself tossed by waves, soaked by rain, and gripping the mast for dear life. It is in that storm, not the stillness, that he learns how to navigate, trust his tools, read the skies, and gain the wisdom that only adversity can teach.

So it is with life. And so it is with faith.

The truth is simple but sobering: calm seas never make skilled sailors.

Strength Is Forged in Storms

From the opening pages of Scripture to the end, God shows us that ease is not the place where spiritual maturity grows. It’s in the crucible of challenge, the valley of suffering, and the furnace of affliction that our faith is tested, refined, and proven. GOD WHO WAS IN CHRIST stated clearly, saying,

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” — John 16:33

Trouble is not the absence of God—it’s often the tool He uses to form His people.

The Floodwaters of Judgment — and Salvation

Consider Noah. He obeyed God when everyone else scoffed. He built an ark on dry ground while the rest of the world lived in reckless ease. But when the storm came, his obedience bore fruit.

Noah’s story isn’t just about judgment—it’s about deliverance through faith. The storm destroyed what was evil, but it lifted up what was righteous. And the very water that devastated the world was the water that bore Noah and his family to a new beginning.

“By faith Noah…prepared an ark…and became an heir of the righteousness that is in accordance with faith.” — Hebrews 11:7

Sometimes the things that seem to be destroying us are the very waves that will carry us into God’s purpose.

The Pattern of Scripture: Storms Produce Strength

We’re not alone in the storm. Throughout the Bible, God’s people faced hardship—but not without purpose:

• Joseph was betrayed, falsely imprisoned, and forgotten. Yet through those trials, God positioned him to save a nation.

• Job lost everything, but emerged with a deeper revelation of God and a double portion of blessing.

• Paul endured shipwrecks, beatings, and imprisonment, yet declared:

  “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)

• Peter stepped out onto the waves and began to sink, but it was in that moment of failure that he experienced the saving hand of Jesus.

• Jesus Himself—though fully divine—was not exempt from storms. Yet with one phrase, “Peace, be still,” (Mark 4:39) He demonstrated not only His divine authority but His deep care for His followers.

What Do Our Storms Reveal?

Storms are not just events—they are revealers. They expose what’s inside us. Do we cling to fear, or do we lean into faith? Do we crumble, or do we cry out, “Lord, save me!”?

Isaiah 43:2 offers a promise, not a loophole:

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you… the rivers shall not overwhelm you… the fire shall not consume you.”

We don’t get to avoid the waters. But we never walk them alone.

Why We Must Embrace the Storm

The generation of Noah was destroyed not just because of violence and sin, but because they lived in comfort without reverence. They ignored God’s warnings, distracted by ease and affluence. Scripture says:

“The LORD saw that the wickedness of humankind was great… every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually.” — Genesis 6:5

Ease made them numb. And numbness to God leads to ruin.

Today, we often think that blessings mean ease, and that hardship means failure. But that’s not the biblical pattern. Our Savior wore a crown of thorns before He wore a crown of glory. Shouldn’t we, His followers, expect that suffering will sometimes shape us too?

James reminds us:

“Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life.” — James 1:12

Let the Word Anchor You

If you’re in a storm today—financial, emotional, spiritual, relational—hear this truth:

You’re not being destroyed.
You’re being developed.
You’re not alone in the fire.
You’re being refined like gold.
You’re not forsaken.
You’re being formed.

When Jesus said “take heart,” He wasn’t offering a platitude. He was offering His own victory as the reason you can hold on.

Final Word: Calm Seas Don’t Train Champions

If you’re praying for the storm to stop, that’s okay. But also pray to become stronger in it. Don’t let the waves of life intimidate you—let them instruct you. For you are becoming a skilled sailor, able to carry others safely, because you’ve been through something with God.

“He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed.” — Psalm 107:29

A Prayer for the Storm

Lord God,
You are my refuge and strength—my ever-present help in trouble.
When the winds of life roar and the waves threaten to pull me under,
Remind me that You are with me. You never leave nor forsake me.

When my faith wavers like Peter’s, reach out and catch me.
When I feel alone like Joseph, help me trust in Your providence.
When I face ridicule like Noah, help me obey anyway.

Help me not to despise the storm but to learn in it, grow through it, and come out of it more like You.
Refine me, steady me, and shape me into the skilled sailor You’re calling me to be.
In the mighty, saving name of Jesus—Amen.

Grace & Peace
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Dr. John Roberts THD