Trials and Seasickness

Matthew 14:22-28

Verse 28  “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

    Yesterday we talked about how doubt gets in the way of our receiving wisdom and what it says about our not being fully focused on God.  We aren’t the only one that has struggled with doubt.

    Today’s reading is a story we have all heard and/or read many times.  We have all been in awe of Jesus walking on the water.  We may have even wished we could have seen it or maybe been like Peter and had the opportunity to walk on it ourselves.  We would likely have had the same issues Peter did.  His doubt was due to his humanity after all.

    Did you notice that while Jesus was on shore praying, the disciples were in the boat fighting heavy waves?  Our doubts can be deepest when we feel like we are in a trial that seems like it is going to end badly.  Add to those fears that Jesus doesn’t seem close in those moments.  Maybe it is when we are in a fight for our marriage or struggling with a teenage child who is making mistakes left and right.  Or maybe it is a health issue that seems to have come out of nowhere for us or a loved one and we aren’t sure what the end result is going to be.  We have prayed and prayed and Jesus feels so far away and silent.  We have all been there, haven’t we?

    In those moments we start to doubt.  The enemy starts whispering into our ears that God must not really care about us; that we must have sinned and made God upset with us, or maybe even that God isn’t real.  And doubt is a fast growing weed in our hearts and minds.

    As the waves were rocking the boat in the middle of the night, a figure came towards them, walking on the water.  I’m sure we would have all responded with the same fear that these men had.  But then it happens.  Peter decides to take Jesus’ command to take courage and asks Jesus to let him walk on the water too.  That is a quick change from fear to courage, isn’t it?  Peter was known for his being quick to think and act.  This is a pure Peter moment.  “Let me walk too!”  A moment of pure faith and forgetting his doubt.  A moment when his focus was so much on Jesus that his worship was willing to take action.

Making It Personal

    Have you ever had a time when God seemed far off during a storm in your life?  Did your doubt grow during that time?  What was your faith like after the trial; had it grown?

Making It Personal Kids

    Do you find storms scary?  Do you think you would be less scared if Jesus was with you during it?  Did you know that Jesus is with you everywhere?

Closing Prayer

    Father, thank You for this example of how we can trust You in the storms of life even when we can’t see You.  You are never as far away as You seem.  Help us focus on You during our trials.  In Jesus’ name, amen.