“Lord, if it is really You, then tell me to meet You on the water,” Peter called to Jesus who walked on the water to be with His disciples.
“Come.”
Peter boldly stepped out of the boat and started walking on the water to Jesus. But then he took his eyes off of Jesus. He focused on the boisterous waves swirling around him.
“Lord, save me!” he cried out as fear and desperation choked him and the sea threatened to swallow him.
Did Jesus let him drown? No, He Immediately reached down His hand and caught him.
I can almost imagine the sorrow in Jesus’ eyes as He said, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”
I don’t believe Jesus said it to condemn Peter but to plead with him to keep his eyes focused on Him, not on the storm. And He questioned him, so Peter would question and examine himself.
This story (Matthew 14:22-34) has often been used by God to strengthen me. I identify with Peter and his dancing back and forth between faith and fear. And yet, even though Jesus knew Peter would grievously deny Him in the future and even though Peter doubted His power to keep him on top of the water when he saw and felt the power of the storm, Jesus didn’t give up on him. Jesus will never, ever abandon us and let us drown, no matter how much we doubt Him. His faithfulness, love, and compassion are limitless.
It’s so easy to be swallowed up in the storms of life, isn’t it? As I look back on my life, there were many times when wave after wave crashed over me and the undercurrent of doubt and despair sucked me under.
But God! I know now that He was keeping me from drowning even when I felt like not even He cared or understood me.
Relief from my troubles and despair didn’t always come immediately. Often it was just a quiet strength to help me keep putting one foot in front of the other. In hindsight I see more of the depth of His amazing love and faithfulness that upheld me. How He reached out and pulled me up, how He brought my limp body and spirit to the shore of His grace and breathed life into me, how He carried me when I had no strength to keep going. Again and again… And He still does…
May God strengthen and calm you with His love
and grace in the midst of life’s storms!
Are you in one of life’s storms right now?
What has been the greatest storm in your life?
What verses calm you in the midst of the storm?
Sometimes He Calms the Storm
by Scott Krippayne
With a whispered peace be still
He can settle any sea
But it doesn’t mean He will
And lets the wind and waves go wild
Sometimes He calms the storm
And other times He calms His child…”
Freed to Fly 
So encouraging, Trudy. Thank you so much. That song says it so well. I had never heard that before. So blessed by you. It’s been a really, really hard few weeks. This time, Jesus said “Peace be still” by asking me to release someone and the storm (hypervigilance and waves of trauma) stopped. Sometimes He’s asked me to stay and hunker down into His arms. Each time I learn new facets of who He is.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m so grateful you were encouraged, Anna. I’m so sorry these past few weeks have been so hard. Yes, sometimes He wants us “to stay and hunker down into His arms.” May God lead us ever more deeply into learning about and trusting His character!
LikeLike
So very many times, Jesus has saved me from drowning in my fear and weakness. I am so grateful for His constant presence, love and saving grace.
Blessings, Trudy!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh yes, Martha! “His constant presence, love, and saving grace.” We need Him so. I just can’t be grateful enough for His faithfulness, even when we’re drowning in our fear and weakness. Blessings to you, too! May we keep our eyes focused on Jesus!
LikeLike
Your words calm any anxiety in my mind and heart! Lately 2 Chronicles 20:12 is a verse that I’ve been drawn to. In it Jehoshaphat prays “We have no power….We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” It is teaching me I am holding on to my own self-sufficiency, and need to let go…. Always encouraging here Trudy! Thank you.
LikeLiked by 2 people
That anxiety can be so persistent, can’t it, Lynn? Thank you so much for encouraging me with the verse in 2 Chronicles. I, too, need to let go of my self-sufficiency and look to Him and His power. I just looked up the context of it. They were at their wits’ end, weren’t they? I love also the promise later in the chapter – “This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.” May we more and more let go of our self-sufficiency and remember to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and His power! Thank you again, Lynn, for sharing this verse and what God is teaching you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Trudy,
Oh thank you for these beautiful words today. I haven’t heard that song for such a long time, but it is so timely for me today. And like Lynn’s comment, the Lord has been showing me how He has removed even more of my own self-sufficiency too. He is full of such mercy to us, to hold us through the doubts and struggles, as He pulls us even closer to His heart. Blessings, hugs, and love to you dear friend. xoxo
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m so glad you were encouraged, Bettie. Yes, God is so full of mercy. I am so grateful He holds us close to His heart, even through the doubts and struggles. Letting go of my self-sufficiency has been an ongoing process for me, too. The verse Lynn shared is such a great reminder, isn’t it? “We have no power….We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” May we learn ever more deeply to come to the end of our power and to open our hearts to and depend on God’s power! Blessings, love, and hugs to you, too!
LikeLike
Trudy, this is really encouraging. We’ve been through some pretty big storms lately, but God is always with us. When we don’t know what to do, we still need to trust and wait. Thank you for the reminder that sometimes he doesn’t calm the storm, but He does give us peace through the storm. Blessings and love to you! xo
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m so sorry you’ve been through some big storms lately, Gayl. I’m grateful you have that anchor that God is always with us. Trust and wait… A hard thing to do sometimes, isn’t it? Blessings and love to you, too! May God give us a deep and abiding trust in His faithfulness and timing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
But God … only two words but oh so powerful! And this, Trudy: “In hindsight I see more of the depth of His amazing love and faithfulness that upheld me.” So true for me too. One verse that comes to mind immediately is Psalm 46:7: “The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold.” Love and hugs to you, my friend.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Don’t you just love those two powerful words, Lois? Sometimes when we’re in a deep, dark valley we can only put one step in front of the other, but in hindsight we can be awed by His amazing love and faithfulness holding us up. I know you have experienced this in a deep way. Thank you for sharing that hope-filled verse. Yes, He is our Stronghold and is always with us. May we learn ever more deeply to run to Him for refuge and security and embrace His faithful Presence!
LikeLike
I’m so thankful that God doesn’t require perfect faith from us before he offers help. I’d rather be honest with my doubts than masquerading with a “perfect” faith. Good thoughts, Trudy!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Me, too, Lisa. He is so patient with us, isn’t He? Our frail, flawed humanity never stops His perfect and faithful love for us. May we lean into His love even when our insecurity wonders why He would care!
LikeLike
I find peace in God’s word which tells us that he sympathizes with us because he has experienced life as we have. Great comforting post!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Amy. I’m grateful you found comfort here. Yes, He knows even worst suffering than we do. No one understands better than He does. I’m so glad we have Him and His love to get us through! May we more and more deeply see the depths of His love and compassion for us!
LikeLike
Thank you for your encouragement today.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m so glad you were encouraged, Kim. May God strengthen and calm us in the midst of life’s storms!
LikeLike
I love this story and I also relate to Peter – having faith at times and at other times being sucked down by the storms of life. It is encouraging to remember that Jesus doesn’t abandon us and he is always there to pull us out. Love and blessings to you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m so glad you were encouraged, Lesley. Isn’t that so amazing that Jesus will never, ever abandon us?! No matter what! Such deep and faithful love He has for us! Love and blessings to you, too! May we keep reaching for His extended Hand in those times when we feel sucked down by the storms of life!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for these timely, encouraging thoughts, Trudy! They’ve really helped me today. Lasting hope, joy, peace and calm have been sorely missing from my life for many weeks now, because fear, worry and anxiety gained the upper-hand, and they still do sometimes if I don’t remain vigilant.
It seems we need to accept and acknowledge our painful feelings, such as anxiety and fear, alongside having a deep, abiding faith that God is able to calm, equip and save. Even if we have to wait a while, and life becomes pressured, stressful, hard or overwhelming for us, He always hears and responds. I needed to hear that again. Bless you, dear friend, for your faithful work of encouragement here! xo ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m so glad this was timely encouragement for you, Joy. I know you’re having a tough time lately. Yes, He always hears and responds. Waiting is hard though, isn’t it? Bless you, too! Thank you again for sending me that devotion. 🙂 May we learn more and more to trust God’s plan and timing, however hard it is!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your thoughtful words remind me that we never know how God will rescue us until we’re in that specific storm. When I think of what He’s brought us all through, I am amazed that we have our wits about us. He has been so very faithful, powerful, and kind, doing far beyond what most of us ask or imagine.
Thanks for prompting gratitude in me this afternoon, Trudy. Bless you …
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh Linda, the storms have been fierce in your life. Yes, it’s amazing we keep our wits about us. It’s definitely not easy, but yes, God is so very faithful, powerful, and kind. Bless you, too! May we keep reaching our hand out to God’s hand of love and rescue!
LikeLike