Feel like you’re sinking? Then you’re probably being attacked by doubt. Doubt can have a crippling effect on our lives. When we doubt, we are putting our faith aside.
Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, 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 (Matthew 14:25–26 NIV).
This must have been a confusing and frightening moment for the disciples. When they saw Jesus walking on the water, they had to either accept what their eyes saw as real or make up another explanation. Initially, they doubted what they saw because they thought He was a ghost.
Verses 27–28: 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.”
What must have been going through Peter’s mind at that moment? Fear, confusion, faith, doubt? What we do know is that Peter had enough faith to speak to Jesus. Now, after Jesus tells him to come, Peter actually walks on the water! But then Peter takes his eyes off Jesus, and doubt enters him. He is distracted by the wind and the waves. He begins to sink.
Verse 31: Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
We, as the children of God, shouldn’t have any doubt about Him. When we take our eyes off Jesus, doubt enters and tries to take over. The distractions of this world fill our minds, and we begin to sink. Maybe we lost our job and feel frightened concerning our finances. Or maybe we lost a loved one after a long battle with an illness. We may have prayed for these situations, and since the outcome wasn’t what we prayed for, we feel as though God wasn’t listening. Even little day-to-day distractions can keep us from God (TV, video games, computers, etc.), and Satan will use those times to his advantage. He will try to put a wedge between us and God. We have to trust that God is in control and everything happens for a higher purpose. We need to resist anything that causes our eyes to stray.
“Come, walk on the water” and don’t sink!
Debbie Mitchell