Do the winds of life bring you fear?
But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. ~Matthew 14:30
As I was reading the story of Peter walking on the water, I realized something that I had missed for the past fourty-nine years of my life. I had always thought that Peter became afraid because of the waves crashing all around him that night as he climbed out of the boat in responce to Jesus simple request,"Come". As I saw that it was the wind that made Peter afraid, it occurred to me that Jesus had an even bigger lesson for me to learn from this story than ever before. What we can learn from Peter's experience is that we can so easily loose our trust in the Almighty God that we worship and praise when we begin to fear the unknown.
Peter knew not where the boisterous wind came from and he didn't know how it would effect his walk. He was already taking a leap of faith by getting out of the boat! Have you ever gotten out of the boat, so to speak, and found yourself climbing right back in where it is safe and secure only minutes or hours after your feet touched the water. It's not an easy thing to step out into the unknown, unless there is something secure there that we can grab ahold of when we think we're going to fall. Think about this today. Like Peter, we need to be calling out to the Lord in faith with willingness to say,"If it be you, bid me come to you onto the water". It's not easy! But it will amaze you how much your faith will increase when you exercise your trust in your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is there when you feel you are afraid and just as with Peter, He'll immediately catch you if the unknown weakens your faith.
Peter was already afraid of the wind before he ever got out of the boat, I'm sure! As I have continued to step out in the ministry God has called me to do, there are things that I cannot see. I know that they are there and I see the danger if this happens or if that happens. My mind can begin to doubt, even while I am stepping out entirely by faith to do the work that He has called me to do.
We've all experienced fear of the unknown before! You've experienced the boisterous winds even before you stepped a foot out of your boat, your comfort zone.
It could be one of many things that hold us back. I encourage you today to get out of your comfort zone! Get out of your favorite chair; call out and ask the Lord to bid you to come! I can tell you that it won't be long before you'll hear Him calling you to do something you've never done before. It happened to me! I've never been more satisfied and full of joy than when I stepped out of the boat, my comfort zone, to experience a new level of faith; even when the unknown almost blew me away. I called out to the Lord and without a moments hesitation, He reached out and reassured me that he was there in ways that I couldn't have imagined. Of course, the Lord asked me through my conscience,"O you of little faith, why did you doubt?".
In closing, remember that Jesus is there for each and every one of us when we step out by faith; and He will help us when we fear and fall, but that doesn't mean that the storm and the wind will cease!
Let's look at the next two verses to see why I point this out.
And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.~Matthew 14:31-32
It wasn't until they were back in the boat! You see, I know that we want the fear and the discomforts to go away as soon as we pray. But the Lord knows what's best for us and what will make us more useful for His service when we make ourselves available to Him.
Are YOU ready to GO? Have you surrendered to the Lord, but have never quite gotten your foot out of the boat?
Maybe you are like me. You've heard His call and you already stepped out of your comfort zone, but you heard those boisterous winds coming your way. Maybe doubt filled your mind, as it did mine, causing you to become afraid.
If so, learn from Peter today and keep calling out to the Lord when you feel this way! But let the Lord take you back to the boat when He is ready!
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. ~ Psalms 46:10
