That Sinking Feeling
Today’s Verse:
But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. ~Matthew 14:30
Have you ever had a sinking feeling? That feeling that things are going from good to bad, and from bad to worse? That feeling that you know in your heart the report is going to be bad? That feeling that you know your job is being eliminated? That feeling that the money you had invested is lost? That feeling that someone is going to do you in? If you ever have had this feeling, you know that it is a feeling of despair, helplessness, and failure. This morning, we want to see what to do when a sinking feeling happens.
There is the reason for our sinking.
Peter had faith to hearken to Christ’s words and go to Him on the water. Peter made some steps forward on the water. He actually walked on water! Then, he did what he should not have done. Peter saw the wind boisterous. Peter got his focus off of Jesus, and the rush of the wind scared him. A big gust of wind blew on him and made him afraid. At that critical moment, he let go of his focus on the Lord and allowed the gust of wind to convince him that it was greater than Jesus. We sink every time we shift our belief as if the problem is greater than God. Instead of going forward, Peter froze and decided a gust of wind was greater than God. Are you at a place in life where you believe that the circumstance is bigger than God?
There is our reaction when we are sinking.
He became afraid, and his fear overcame him. He was paralyzed and thought that the Lord could not overcome the storm. We must remember that God does not have to send a storm or wind away to prove that He is God. His greatest demonstration of His power is when the problem is allowed to persist. Fear causes discouragement. Fear sets us back. Fear moves our heart away from God. Fear is a snare and trap. Show me what you fear, and I will show you what you worship.
There is the reality when we are sinking.
He began to sink. We begin to sink when our faith is shaken. We begin to sink when we are looking at our problem or sin and not at God. We begin to sink when we emphasize more on the carnal than we do on the spiritual. We begin to sink when we begin to sin. We begin to sink when we become overconfident. We begin to sink when pride creeps in. We begin to sink when our praying is reactionary and not revolutionary. Are you sinking?
There is the rescue from when we are sinking.
Peter cried out for help, and the Lord stretched forth His hand and caught Peter! I like that. The Lord was always within reach of Peter. He is always within reach of us. His steady hand catches us before the water is over our head. The greatest need that Peter had at that moment was not to be rescued from the water but to be rescued from himself. The Lord is always ready to catch us when we start to sink, but He does this so that we might be still and know that He is God!
There is the reprimand from when we are sinking.
Jesus rebuked him for having little faith and being filled with doubt. He rebuked Peter as He caught him. He rebuked Peter’s pride, pettiness, and paranoia. Having doubt in God’s power when we already are exercising faith is nothing short of an insult to the Lord.
There is the resolution when we have experienced sinking.
Peter had nothing to say after this experience was over. He knew that he had failed the faith test. However, Peter resolved that he would walk by faith thereafter. When God gives us faith-building opportunities, we would do well to seize them and keep our eyes always on Him. “The just shall live by faith.”
Be careful of that sinking feeling. Keep Jesus in your sight, stay on the water and not in the water, and let your faith be strong!
Have a faith-filled God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Luke 19-20