But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.”
The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Jn 6:20.
One phrase repeated over and over again from God’s messengers, God the Father and Jesus Himself was “do not be afraid”. It may be worded a little different each time (“fear not”) but the idea is the same. God knows that we resort to fear when we have no confidence in our control and in the face of the unknown. But He tells us to stop being afraid because what is coming next is the sovereignty of God Himself, the creator of the universe.
Peace is what we should be looking for in the midst of chaos. John 14:27 says:
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
The disciples feared the sea because they were afraid of drowning. They feared what they thought was a ghost that was approaching them on the water. However, it all began to take a turn for the better when they recognized Jesus. Then peace came when Jesus entered the boat.