28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” (Matthew 14:22-33)
He could have made it to Jesus and back to the boat. He could have even made it to the shore without the boat! But there in the middle of the waves, fear blinded his ability to see in faith.
There are times in life when we find ourselves on the same page with Peter. One moment triumphantly walking over the trials of life, in another, terrified for who-knows-what-would-come-flying-our-way as we trudge through life.
We are journeying in faith, yes. But our knees still tremble in fear. Probably because we know not what is up ahead us. Most probably because we think too much of what our next step would encounter.
Peter might have thought to himself, “Oh the wind… the wind would invite bigger waves. And bigger waves would cause me to drown! No, I don’t want to drown.”
Fear magnified the insignificant wind and telescoped the greatness of Jesus.
But faith-even faith as small as a mustard seed-IS more than enough to move our mountains of problems and wave loads of troubles. And yet, that same little faith is nothing if we let our biggest fears to drown it.
So when we are faced with our biggest fears, let us call to mind what Jesus said to Peter:
“Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
With such an enlightening reassurance as that, why should we ever fear? How could we ever fear? If in the middle of the storm, Jesus IS? Jesus CAN?
Take every step to the Great Unknown as you walk on the water with the Calmer of Storms. Outbrave every fear that threatens to drown your heart. Because Jesus is far greater than our biggest fears.