Fear of Drowning

Matt. 14:25-33:  Around three in the morning, He came toward them walking on the sea. When the disciples saw Him, they were terrified. "It's a ghost!" they said, and cried out in fear. Immediately, Jesus spoke to them. "Have courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." "Lord, if it is You," Peter answered Him, "command me to come to You on the water."  "Come!" He said.  And climbing out of the boat, Peter started walking on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid. And beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!"  Immediately, Jesus reached out His hand, caught hold of him, and said to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt? " When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those in the boat worshiped Him and said, "Truly, You are the Son of God!"

I used to hear this story and think it wasn't more than just someone not trusting Jesus, so we need to. Lesson learned. I recently read it, and felt like there was more to it than I originally thought. I began to apply it to my life and fears that I have. There were 4 main points that stuck out to me.

1) These men had walked with Jesus and witnessed Him performing miracles, but when they saw Him walking toward them on the sea, they cried out in fear that He was a ghost. If anyone should be able to recognize Jesus, it should be His disciples. I began to wonder, in my own life, how many times has God revealed Himself to me, and I dismissed it as something else. Maybe not a physical revealing like seeing Him walking on water toward me, but a calling to do something. My initial reaction is to call it something else and turn away in fear.

2) Peter was called to walk on the water, just as he asked. Have you ever prayed for God to use you, but when you felt the calling, you were scared to step out of the boat? It is easy to want to be used but difficult to allow it to happen. If we really feel God has called us to do something, how can we not trust Him. This is the first fear I want to discuss: Fear that God will not come through or a doubt that He will provide or protect. When Peter began to sink, Jesus asked him how he could doubt. It is easy to sit back and wonder the same thing, but there is a calling that I feel God has put in all of our lives, but many of us will struggle with trust. It pulls us out of our comfort zone, so naturally, we began to question it. Why would God want me to do something that feels so uncomfotable? I begin to question His decision making. Obviously, He chose the wrong person.

3) The second fear is me. Even if I believe this is what God wants from me, I am not capable of doing it. I am full of doubt in my own abilities, even though God Himself has called and equipped me with all that is necessary.  Why would God call me to speak publicly, if I am scared of public speaking?  Why would God ask me to witness to someone who has heard the message so many times from others who know the Bible better than I do?  Have you ever felt like Moses in Exodus 4:10?  But Moses pleaded with the Lord, "O Lord, I'm not very good with words.  I never have been , and I'm not now, even though you have spoken to me.  I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled."  Moses would eventually follow his calling and would fair just fine.  Shouldn't we also trust God would come through for us as well.

4) Finally, they worshiped God in the end.  Even after their doubts, they worshiped God when He came through.  God is big enough to bring us through anything that He has called us to do.  Peter began to sink in fear, and Jesus rescued him.  God will not call you into something that He cannot handle...even if we can't.  If we follow the path God has called us to follow, in the end, we will have reason to worship Him.  The problem is that we tend to give up before, or during the journey, and don't see the reason for worship in the end.

My question for you (and me) is this: What are you being called to do, and how will you respond? It may not be a call to solve world hunger but a call to simply forgive someone, share your faith, or to just take time to trust and listen during your current life struggles.  Listen to God, trust Him, and be ready to worship him for what he does in the end.