Boisterous Winds

Greetings,

I bless God for what is happening in the body of Christ and the lives of His righteous. It is indeed an unfamiliar season for me. I’m not sure if any of you can relate. Nonetheless, the Lord is ever moving for our good, and we must hold on. We must know, not just believe, that everything is working for the good of them that love God (Romans 8:28).

The Lord began to lay something on my heart to share with you. It is very encouraging, and I am sure it will help you.

PETER WALKED ON WATER

Matthew 14:25-31

This passage of scripture may be familiar. But, we find Jesus coming from prayer and walking on the sea. The disciples meet Him, initially thinking it was a spirit. In an attempt to make sure that the person walking on water is Jesus, Peter asks the Lord to allow him to come to him on the water. By faith, Peter begins to walk on water. Then, the winds started to get boisterous, fear sets in, and Peter began to sink.

WE ALL HAVE BEEN THERE

I think believers at any stage can relate to a time or times where the Lord has bid them come, and they stepped out on faith to do something, and the winds began to get boisterous causing a disturbance in their faith where they started to sink. We may sink in our faith, emotions, righteous living, mental state, passion, and life. But I want to encourage your hearts today, be like Peter and say, “Lord, save me.”

It is so natural for believers to digress and shut down during adversity or boisterous winds. We begin to lose our focus. Our eyes, which were initially on God, begin to evaluate the strength of the wind and depth of the sea beneath us. We lose sight that we are in arms reach of the God that created that wind and sea. Although we may sink from time to time, we must muster up the strength to cry out, “Lord save me.”

I can identify with Peter. As the Lord has matured my faith through the years, this type of response is not as frequent, but it happens. As a younger saint, I thought that struggling meant that I was weak. So I would retreat to my own space and fight alone. I wouldn’t share my issues with anyone (not even God), and the enemy took those opportunities to wreak havoc on my mind and spirit. I thought that telling God my problems was a lack of faith and acceptance of defeat. I didn’t understand that God was looking for truth, and my truth during those times was that I was sinking. I needed to cry out to God.

Many people are embarrassed to expose the fainting of their faith. They want to appear strong. However, the word of God reveals stories like these for our teaching and edification. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, is no different than you and I. We face scary and unknown situations that sometimes cause us to sink. It doesn’t mean you are a failure, weak, or anything like that. It means you are a human that needs God. So, cry out, “Lord save me.” In that place, you will find the power in depending on God.

Now, I don’t want you crying out only for materialistic needs. I do understand that bills and financial issues are a type of deep sea that many are sinking in. But, also cry out for God to save you from the depths of sin. Cry out for God to keep you from the depths of oppression. Cry out for God to save you from anything that will hinder you from getting to Him. These are more valuable than this world’s riches.

SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE

Years ago, I used to ponder as to why God (in His all-knowing power) would call Peter to walk on water knowing that he would sink. I even began to make it personal. I asked God why had He called me to things knowing I would sink. The Lord answered me, and to paraphrase; He told me that my perception was wrong. I wasn’t learning what He was trying to teach me. In my frustration, I thought the Lord bid me come to expose my lack of faith and hurt me. In turn, it caused me to be offended as I went through trials. But, God said, “I told you to come so I could teach you to walk on water.” That phrase forever shifted how I looked at the trying of my faith. It wasn’t just about exposing my shortcomings and shedding light on my lack. Sure, those things were good, because knowing your lack will keep you dependent on God. But, God had a greater lesson to teach me. That was: if I maintained my focus and faith on Him, I could do the impossible.

The reality is this, while we tend to focus on the sinking of Peter, at one point in the story he was walking on water. If we can look at our trials and put the emphasis on when we were doing the impossible, we can experience God greater than we have before.

CONCLUDING

I pray this encourages your heart today. The Lord will pull you up if you cry out to Him. Don’t remain silent and sink. Cry out with a loud voice to God, in the name of Jesus. Then, focus on the bigger picture. What is God trying to teach you? What does He want to show you? What miracle is He trying to work through you? If you do this, you will find yourself walking on water.

I love you all.

Kristina