We all come into life with expectations—dreams, hopes, and silent longings passed down from generations. But somewhere along the way, our expectations become tied to people, positions, and performance. We build our ships—relationships, partnerships, situationships, and friendships—hoping they will carry us safely to destiny. Yet every ship we build must be navigated, and every captain must be chosen.
The truth is, many of us have been navigating our ships with Jesus on board, but not at the helm. We love His presence, but we often question His power when the storm starts rocking what we built. Like the disciples in Luke 8, we invited Him into our boat, but when the waves began to rise and the winds started howling, we panicked and asked, “Master, don’t You care that we perish?”
The problem was never that Jesus didn’t care. The problem was their expectation. He had already told them, “Let us go to the other side.” That was the promise. But between the promise and the fulfillment came the storm—a test not of His power, but of their perspective.
Perhaps the storm came in your ship to reveal where your expectations truly lie. Was your faith in Him or in the ship? Was your peace anchored in His word or in the people around you?
We often think God is absent when we can’t feel Him, but Jesus was in the same boat—resting. His rest was proof of His authority. He wasn’t moved by the storm because He was the Master of it. And maybe that’s what He’s trying to show us: that even when life feels unstable, His word remains sure.
Jesus told us to count the cost before we build. He knew the rains would come, the winds would blow, and the floods would rise—not maybe, but for sure. Yet if the foundation is firm, if the ship is built with Him as the Captain, then no storm can sink it.
When we misplace our expectations, we begin to idolize the ship itself. We start measuring the success of our journey by how smooth the water is instead of how steadfast our faith remains. We place hope in the relationship, the title, the ministry, or the friendship—and when those things start taking on water, we panic. But God allows storms to shift our focus from the vessel to the Voice.
It’s not that He doesn’t want us to build. It’s that He wants us to build with Him. Because sooner or later, every ship will face resistance. And when that moment comes, you’ll need to know that He is still on board, still in control, and still able to speak, “Peace, be still.”
Don’t jump ship because of the storm. Don’t wreck your ship because your expectations were built on people instead of His promise. Every storm is temporary, but His word is eternal.
You may have lost people along the way—those who couldn’t handle the waves or the waiting. That’s okay. Not everyone is called to sail with you to the other side. The storm wasn’t meant to destroy you; it was meant to develop you.
So as you navigate your ships—relationships, partnerships, situationships, and friendships—let Jesus be the Captain. Let His voice guide your direction. Let His peace anchor your heart.
Let Him take the wheel—-because the truth is, the safest place to be isn’t in calm waters—it’s in the same boat with Jesus.