Fear, Failure, and Faith.

Mathew, chapter 14, records the well-known story of Jesus walking on water. Jesus had instructed His disciples to get in their boat and cross the Sea of Galilee. He then dismissed the large crowd He had been preaching to, and went up on a mountainside to pray.

The disciples were half-way across sea when the weather turned nasty. They found themselves at the mercy of a storm, unable to progress toward the shore.

Then, in Mathew 14: 25 – 32:

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to [His disciples], walking on the lake.

When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“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. 

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?”

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.”

The storm.

How different might this story have played out without the storm? Imagine that the sky is clear, the sun is shining, and the disciples are chatting about the great miracles they have witnessed Jesus perform. Then they see Jesus walking across the calm surface of the lake. They smile at yet another demonstration of His power. Imagine all of the disciples asking Jesus if they could join Him out there on the water. Imagine them walking the rest of the way across the lake together, effortlessly pulling the boat behind them.

But that’s not how it happens. The disciples are in the midst of a storm, and, no doubt, they are feeling frustrated, tense, and fearful as the wind and waves assault their boat. Their focus is on their dire situation, not on Jesus. So, when they see Jesus out there on the water, their rattled minds jump immediately to, “ghost!” and they become even more terrified.

The storms of life certainly have a way of taking our focus off of Jesus, do they not? When that happens, we find ourselves anxious and afraid.

Fear.

The first thing Jesus does is reassure His disciples, and He tells them not to be afraid. Fear is debilitating. It is self-focused. It is not of God. Here’s a small sample of what the Bible says about fear:

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

II Timothy 1:7

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9

Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the Lord will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared.

Proverbs 3: 25-26

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Isaiah 41:10

Fear is powerful, but God is greater than our fear. He wants us to trust Him, even in the midst of the storm.

Failure.

I have to give Peter credit for stepping out of the boat. None of the other disciples did, and I doubt very much that I would have been bold enough to attempt such a thing.

While Peter’s eyes were fixed on Jesus, he was able to do the impossible. But as soon as he turned his attention to the wind and waves, he began to sink. Peter cried out, “Lord, save me!” and Jesus, without hesitation, reached out and saved him. The words Jesus said next explain what went wrong:

“You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

I can relate. Sometimes, life begins to overwhelm me, and my faith begins to waver. I start to sink, and cry out, “Lord, save me!” God reaches down and pulls me up, the storm clears, and I hear the words: You of little faith, why did you doubt?

Thankfully, God doesn’t give up on us, even when we give up on Him. He knows that we are flawed creatures and he loves us anyway. It’s comforting to know that even the greatest men and women in the Bible had moments when their fear was greater than their faith.

Faith.

Faith is the antidote to fear, and faith is a choice. We have no control over the storms of life, but we always get to decide whether or not we will trust the Lord in the midst of them. What will you do when the next storm hits?