Grace in the Deep Waters
By Pastor Jerry A. Burns
Grief often feels like deep water. At first it laps gently at your feet, and you think you can manage it. But then something triggers a memory — a song, a smell, a date on the calendar — and suddenly the water rises. It can feel overwhelming, even frightening. As I reflected again on Recovering from Losses in Life, I was reminded that loss is not a straight line. It comes in waves. Some days are manageable. Others feel like you are barely keeping your head above water.
Yet notice what God promises in Isaiah. He does not say we will avoid the waters. He does not say we will never feel the fire. He says, “I will be with thee.” The presence of God is the anchor in the storm. The waters may rise, but they will not overflow you. The fire may burn around you, but it will not consume you. Why? Because you do not walk through grief alone.
Sometimes we think strength means not feeling the depth of sorrow. But biblical strength is knowing Who is standing beside you in it. Grace does not always calm the storm immediately — sometimes it steadies the heart within the storm. And over time, what once felt like drowning becomes a testimony: “God brought me through.”
If you are in deep water today, hold onto this truth: you are passing through. This season does not define the rest of your life. The same God who walks with you in grief will lead you into renewed hope.
When the waves of grief rise this week, pause and remind yourself aloud, “I am passing through, and God is with me.” Instead of fighting the emotion, acknowledge it and then consciously place it in God’s hands through prayer. Consider journaling one way you have already seen His faithfulness in this season. Even small evidences of grace are reminders that the waters have not overtaken you.
"As for God, his way is perfect; The word of the LORD is tried: He is a buckler to all them that trust in him." — 2 Samuel 22:31
Daily Scripture Reading
Join us as we read through the Bible in one year, growing together in God’s Word day by day. Click on any underlined verse to access Pastor Burns’ helpful study notes and deeper insights.
Leviticus 11-12
(Leviticus 12)
Mark 7:1-13
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This Week's Radio Program
Week Eleven • March 15, 2026
Trusting God in the Storms (Pt. 2)
Storms don’t schedule appointments. One moment the sun is shining, the next the wind is howling and everything feels out of control. In this message from Mark 6, we walk with the disciples into a very real storm on the Sea of Galilee — tired, rowing hard, and making little progress. The wind was contrary. The night was long. And Jesus was not in the boat… at least not yet.
But what they did not realize was that while they were fighting the storm, Jesus was watching from the mountain. He saw them toiling. And in the fourth watch of the night — when strength was gone and hope was thin — He came walking on the water. When they acknowledged Him, everything changed. The storm ceased. The fear faded. The destination was reached.
Most of us know what it feels like to row against contrary winds — burdens, opposition, uncertainty, exhaustion. Proverbs 3 reminds us that storms reveal what we’re leaning on. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” The question is not if storms will come — Isaiah 43 says when. The question is: Who are you trusting when they do?
In this message, we explore three powerful truths: a reliance upon God, a recognition of His presence, and a rebuke against trusting our own wisdom. Calm does not come from better rowing — it comes from Christ in the boat. Join us as we learn how to put all our weight down and trust Him fully, even when the winds are strong.