When God calls us into a new relationship with Him through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, we are often enthusiastic—and it’s pretty hard not to be. Our sins are forgiven and washed away. We are clean, and we are thrilled that God has given us a fresh start! Our old self is no more, and we have a new beginning as we step into a journey of faith with Jesus. It’s kind of like when Peter saw Jesus, from a distance, walking on the turbulent waters of the lake. He and the other disciples were initially afraid, even terrified. The last thing they considered was that it was Jesus; they thought they were seeing a ghost.
Matthew 14:26
When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
Jesus told them to take courage and not be afraid. When Peter realized it was Jesus, he put Jesus to the test.
Matthew 14:28-29
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
Peter immediately responded in faith and began to walk on water! Yep, nothing else needed to be said besides “Come!” Full of joy, Peter stepped out because His Lord was calling him! Imagine the excitement Peter felt in this moment. Then imagine the exhilaration that ran through Peter’s veins when he experienced the power of Jesus firsthand as he moved toward his Savior and joined Jesus in walking on water as no other man ever had! But before he could get to Jesus, Peter started paying attention to the wind and the waves, and he began to sink. Just like Adam in the Garden of Eden doubted what God said about the forbidden fruit, Peter’s faith turned to doubt, and he turned his focus from the miracles of God to the conditions around him.
Matthew 14:30-31
But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “Why did you doubt?”
Men, notice that as soon as Peter, in fear, cried out: “Lord, save me,” Jesus immediately reached out His hand and caught him! Immediately means without delay, so at that very moment, Jesus rescued him. Peter didn’t have to do anything but call. Once Peter took his eyes off Jesus, he began to sink. Quickly realizing that this wasn’t going to end well for him, he called out!
When we as men move forward in faith, our eyes and attention are just like Peter’s—we can’t wait to step out onto the water, so to speak, to the place where miracles happen. But when we do, we must not look at the conditions around us, since stepping out in faith doesn’t mean the challenges of life will end. No! The winds and the waves will still rage at times, just as they did when Peter stepped out.
Doubt comes when we focus on the strong winds rather than Jesus, the One who controls the winds. When we dwell on the waves and the storms of life, we will sink. But when we start to sink, all we need to do is cry out! When we cry out to our Savior, in His mercy and grace, He immediately reaches out and takes us by the hand, just as He did to Peter in verse 31.
Peter’s faith was bold. Unlike the other disciples, he had the faith to take that first step out of the boat. But his faith quickly began to flounder when he looked at the waves rather than at Jesus. We also are called to step out of the boat—our place of comfort and security—and walk toward the Lord. If we desire to get out of our comfort zone and do something great for Him, we must understand that the enemy of our faith walk is doubt!
As Jesus helped Peter get back in the boat, the winds eased up.
Matthew 14:32-33
And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
In this passage, Jesus not only showed the power of faith to walk on water, but He also demonstrated His saving grace in response to Peter’s weak faith when doubt started to creep in.
Men, Jesus does the same thing for us. We step out in faith, desiring and even proving God’s love toward us. But we can still become weak and doubtful on our Christian journey when life gets tough or we’re not sure if we should step out and do something bold for Christ. When this happens, all we have to do is call out to our Heavenly Father—who controls the winds—and He will immediately, with no hesitation, take us by the hand and save us. He will also guide us to exactly the place where He wants us to go in our work for Him.
Now let’s consider the onlookers, meaning the other disciples who were in the boat with Peter. When we step out in faith, God often gives us an audience. When we do His will and follow the path He has laid out for us, God usually has others watching from the boat. Yes, the other disciples may not have been as bold in their faith as Peter, but they were watching the whole time. They were witnesses to the faith Peter showed in stepping out of the boat. They were also witnesses to the waves, Peter’s doubting and temporary sinking, his call out to Jesus in fear, and the Lord’s hand immediately reaching out to save him. And lastly, they witnessed Jesus calming the waves when they were both in the boat.
Why is this important for us as men? It serves to illustrate that when others witness our faith in action, even when we are weak and unsettled, they will see the very hand of God reach out and pull us to safety. After all, God uses our weakness to show off His goodness and strength!
2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
So, the next time you fear stepping out and worry that you’re not going to be perfect in your faith walk, fear not, for He is the author and finisher of your faith.
Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Praise God that He uses imperfect vessels—including men sometimes gripped by doubt and fear—to show His glory to a watching world.
Have a great weekend!
Stephen L. Thomas