Life throws many storms our way, and in those turbulent times, finding a solid anchor is crucial. For those of faith, that anchor is often found in Jesus. The old hymn, “Learning to Lean on Jesus,” beautifully encapsulates this sentiment, reminding us that true power and peace come from placing our trust in Him.
Learning to lean, learning to lean,
I’m learning to lean on Jesus.
Finding more power than I’ve ever dreamed,
I’m learning to lean on Jesus.Learning To Lean On Jesus Lyrics, Pastor John Stallings, 1977
This simple chorus speaks volumes about the Christian journey. It’s not about instant perfection or unwavering strength, but about the continuous process of learning to rely on Jesus. It’s a journey of discovering a strength that surpasses our own, a power we never imagined possible.
To truly understand this concept, we can look to the life of Peter, one of Jesus’s closest disciples. His experiences, as recorded in the Gospels, offer profound insights into what it means to learn to lean on Jesus through various stages of faith and life’s inevitable storms.
In the early days of Peter’s discipleship, we see a powerful demonstration of Jesus’s ability to provide. After a night of fruitless fishing, Jesus instructed Peter to cast his nets again. Peter, despite his weariness and past failure, obeyed Jesus’s word.
“Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”
Luke 5:4 NKJV
Peter’s initial response, recounting his unsuccessful night, highlights human skepticism and reliance on personal experience. However, his subsequent obedience, “at Your word,” reveals a burgeoning faith. The result was miraculous – a catch so large it strained their nets and filled their boats.
This early miracle serves as a powerful lesson. Often, when we first come to faith, or when we are starting a new venture with God, we experience quick answers to prayer and feel a sense of ease in our reliance on Him. It can feel like we have a special formula, or that faith is always meant to be easy. However, this is often Jesus gently introducing us to His faithfulness, teaching us the first steps in leaning on Him. At this stage, like Peter initially, we may not feel we have much to lose by trusting, making it easier to step out in faith.
Blue body of water with orange thunder
As we grow in our relationship with Jesus, the nature of our faith is tested. Life’s challenges and difficulties can intensify, and we may question if God is truly present or cares amidst our struggles. The account of Jesus calming the storm in Matthew 8 perfectly illustrates this phase.
And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!”
Matthew 8:24-25 NKJV
Here, Jesus was physically present with the disciples, but seemingly detached, asleep while a violent storm raged. The disciples’ fear and desperate plea, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” reveals a faith that is shaken by adversity. In another Gospel account, it’s even recorded that they questioned if Jesus cared about their plight.
This scenario resonates deeply with many believers. There are times when, despite our faith, we find ourselves in the midst of overwhelming storms. It may feel as though Jesus is distant, unresponsive, even “asleep” to our needs. However, Jesus’s response to the disciples’ fear is instructive.
But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
Matthew 8:26 NKJV
Jesus’s rebuke isn’t condemnation, but an invitation to deeper trust. He addresses their “little faith,” highlighting that even in the storm, He is present and powerful. The subsequent calming of the sea demonstrates His authority and ability to bring peace even in the most chaotic circumstances. This episode teaches us that learning to lean on Jesus also involves trusting Him when He seems distant, believing in His power even when the storm is raging and our fears are loud.
The journey of learning to lean on Jesus doesn’t end with mastering faith in His presence; it extends to trusting Him even when His presence isn’t immediately apparent. Matthew 14 recounts another storm the disciples faced, but this time, Jesus was not in the boat.
But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
Matthew 14:24 NKJV
This storm was arguably more challenging as Jesus was physically absent. The disciples were alone, facing the tempest with their own limited strength and experience. Yet, in the midst of their distress, Jesus appeared in a way they could never have anticipated.
Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.
Matthew 14:25 NKJV
Jesus walking on water, defying the very element that threatened to overwhelm them, is a powerful image of His sovereignty and unwavering presence. He came to them in the midst of their storm, not in a conventional way, but in a miraculous display of His divine nature. This event reveals a deeper level of leaning on Jesus – trusting in His power and presence even when we don’t see Him, even when we feel utterly alone in the storm.
The disciples, seasoned fishermen who were accustomed to the sea, were terrified not only by the storm but also by Jesus walking on water. Their initial reaction highlights the human tendency to fear what we don’t understand and what seems impossible. However, Jesus’s presence, even in this unexpected form, brought deliverance and ultimately calmed the storm.
So, what does it truly mean to learn to lean on Jesus? It’s a lifelong process, a journey of faith that evolves through different experiences and challenges. As we mature in our faith, we realize that leaning on Jesus isn’t a one-time decision but a continuous practice. We learn to trust Him in times of ease and abundance, and even more importantly, in times of hardship and uncertainty.
The storms of life will inevitably come, in various forms and intensities. We might learn to lean on Him in our finances, only to face a storm in our health. We might find strength in Him in our careers, but then encounter turmoil in our relationships. This continuous need to lean on Him is not a sign of weakness, but rather an acknowledgement of our human limitations and the limitless power and faithfulness of Jesus.
Just as the song suggests, we are constantly “learning to lean.” But within that learning process lies the incredible discovery of “more power than we’ve ever dreamed.” This power isn’t our own; it’s the strength of Jesus made available to us as we place our trust in Him. It’s the peace that surpasses understanding, the hope that anchors the soul, and the unwavering love that carries us through every storm. Wonderful Jesus, indeed, is the one we can learn to lean on, today, tomorrow, and for all our days.
