TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR PEACE: LEARN THE SKILLS TO REST LIKE JESUS 

By Durrell Dixon | Faith-Based Personal Development Coach & Christian Psychology Advocate

Jesus Slept Through a Storm—You Can Too

I want you to take this moment and be open to shifting your way of  responding to match the mind of Christ. In Mark 4:35–38, Jesus and His disciples are caught in a violent storm on the Sea of Galilee. We're not talking about a light sprinkle or a passing breeze. This was a hurricane-level storm. It was so fierce that seasoned fishermen—men who lived on the water—panicked and believed they were going to die.

And what was Jesus doing?
He was sleeping, in the back of the boat.

This moment isn’t just a powerful story. It’s an invitation to transformation.

Jesus Didn’t Sleep Because He Didn’t Care—He Slept Because He Knew

Jesus was completely aware of the storm, its intensity, its potential, and His disciples' fear. But He also knew something they hadn’t come to fully understand yet:

He had authority over it.

It couldn’t stop His assignment.

It had no power to cancel God's purpose.

Jesus wasn’t afraid because He trusted the Father. He knew who He was. He knew what He carried. And He knew where He was going.

That kind of inner peace—peace that lets you rest during a raging storm—comes from knowing your identity and trusting in divine purpose. Psychologically, this is known as cognitive reappraisal—its a way of  reinterpret a situation to change its emotional impact (Gross, 2021). Jesus wasn’t in denial. He simply chose a different interperatation: "This storm doesn’t control me. I control it."

Think Like Jesus: Trust in Authority Over the Storm

If we're going to think like Jesus, we need to shift our mindset from fear-based reaction to faith-based regulation. Jesus models what's known in Christian psychology as spiritual emotion regulation—aligning your emotional responses with the truth of God's promises rather than temporary circumstances (Captari et al., 2022).

Aligning With God's Promises:

You don’t need to see the outcome to trust the God who’s already secured it.

Here’s your Faith Declaration:

"I choose to believe God is causing good to happen to me, and I will have it, 

"If I don't see it, and I choos not to panic." 

That’s not blind optimism. That’s spiritual intelligence. You’re aligning your emotional response to your spiritual understanding. That’s what Jesus did—and what He invites us to do.

Insight To Having Peace in the Storm

The ability to remain peaceful in a threatening situation is deeply connected to how we interpret stress. According to Psychological Capital Theory, individuals who possess high levels of hope, efficacy (the ability to produce a desired or intended result), resilience, and optimism (known as HERO traits) are more likely to overcome adversity with a positive outcome (Luthans et al., 2021). Jesus exhibited all of these traits perfectly.

As believers, when we internalize God's Word, our spiritual core strengthens. Our resilience increases. We stop panicking because we know who holds the storm—and who’s in the boat with us.

Spiritual Application: From Fear to Rest

Jesus didn’t just calm the storm; He revealed the power of rest as a weapon. Rest means confidence. It means you trust that God’s promises are not fragile—they’re the foundation you stand on.

So, how do you move from panic to peace?

Here Is Want You Can Do :

1. Ask the question: How are Jesus and the storm alike, and how are they different 

 This question is based on The Analogical Comparison with Relational Mapping technique (ACRM)- created by Dr. Dedre Gentner. It's based on using comparison (simularities) and contrast (diffrences) together to gain spiritial deeper meaning (Gentner & Smith, 2021). ACRM cause you to think in more complete way and greater understanding, establishes long-term belief, and leads to revelation, and emotional engament with God's word

To help you get you started, below are a few comparisons and contrast between Jesus and the storm 

Comparisons:

Both interrupt human plans to reveal God’s purpose

Both reveal something about your faith—the storm tests it, Jesus fulfills it

Diffrences: 

The storm rages, Jesus rests

The storm is temporary, Jesus is eternal

2. Anchor in Purpose.
Jesus knew His assignment. The storm couldn’t take Him out because purpose held Him up. Rediscover what God has assigned you to do. Purpose is the stabilizer of your soul.

You’re Not Just in the Boat—You Have Authority In It

This isn’t about denying reality. This is about defying the enemy’s attempt to drown your peace. The storm isn’t proof God left you. It may actually be proof you’re on your way to something powerful.

Storms don’t derail divine purpose. They often confirm you’re headed in the right direction.

You have the authority, the power, and the permission to rest. Just like Jesus.
You can declare:

“I don’t need to see the whole picture.

I know who controls the waves.

I choose not fear.

I will rest in the truth of my calling.”

So today, ask yourself:
What storm have I let define my thinking, my emotions, and my actions?
And more importantly:
What would it look like if I started thinking like Jesus in this storm?

Final Encouragement

Peace isn’t the absence of storms. It’s the presence of trust.

With Jesus in your boat, no storm has the final word.

References:

• Captari, L. E., et al. (2022). “Spiritual Emotion Regulation and Well-Being: A Review of the Literature and Implications for Practice.” Journal of Psychology and Theology, 50(1), 23-36.

• Gentner, D., & Smith, L. (2021). Analogical Reasoning and Learning: A Developmental Perspective. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 30(2), 145–152.

• Gross, J. J. (2021). Emotion Regulation: Conceptual Foundations. In J. J. Gross (Ed.), Handbook of Emotion Regulation (3rd ed., pp. 3–20). Guilford Press.

• Luthans, F., Youssef-Morgan, C. M., & Avolio, B. J. (2021). Psychological Capital and Beyond. Oxford University Press.