Faith On The Water

This month, my daily reading has been in Matthew, and although I’ve read Matthew 14:22–33 many times before, this time God revealed something new to me. It’s Jesus sending his disciples ahead of him in a boat, while he went to pray. I wondered if the disciples were discussing amongst themselves how Jesus was going to get to them. Or perhaps, as Matthew tells us in verse 24, “. . .the wind was against them” they were lamenting the fact Jesus wasn’t there to them supernaturally.

The big reveal to me was Peter boldly stepping out of the boat as Jesus commands him, and for a minute Peter is defying the laws of nature —yet, as the storm picked up, fear overwhelms him and doubt permeates his being, and he starts to sink. “Oh, Peter, why did you doubt, you were doing it!” – I think to myself. Then I am quickly reminded of my own journey of faith and fear, trust and doubt.

Prior to this Jesus had just performed another eye-opening miracle: feeding over 5,000 men with just five loaves and two fish (Matthew 14:13–21). The disciples were personally involved in this miracle as they had distributed the food and picked up the surplus. They touched the miracle with their own hands. And yet, just hours later they were gripped by fear.

I am no different. Modern-day believers have seen God’s miraculous works, from salvation to thousands of small graces we experience daily. Some of us have experienced big miracles in the physical healing of something deemed incurable. Others have seen the miracle of peace in the midst of unchanging circumstances. Yet, despite all the evidence, when life gets hard, I can panic—just like the disciples.

Jesus walking on water here wasn’t a stunt, it was intentional, a continuation of His earlier miracles, showing He has authority over creation. This echoes Colossians 1:17, which reminds us that

He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”

The same Jesus that multiplied bread and fish, also commands the wind. He has full dominion over both our daily needs and our darkest storms.

In typical boldness that Peter was known for, he didn’t just want to witness the miracle, he wanted to be part of the miracle:

“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” - Matthew 14:28

Jesus said, “Come.”

Peter actually did it. His feet touched the surface. His body defied gravity. He was walking on the water.

But then came the shift.

“But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord, save me.’” - Matthew 14:30

That is the big reveal for me: Faith fails when focus shifts from Jesus to the storm.

How many times do I know the power of Jesus, yet I fail to recognize Jesus’ power when the circumstances get real.  And look, it wasn’t about Peter’s fear being irrational—neither is mine—the circumstances are real, the storms are real, and the winds are blowing mightily. But Jesus’ power is stronger—and Peter knew that. Still, like me, he allowed the reality of his situation to outweigh the reality of his Savior.

We believe in Jesus for eternal life, but struggle to trust Him with this month’s rent, our job security, our children, or our mental health. We walk out in faith, but the moment the waves rise, we sink into anxiety and doubt.

Hebrews 12:2 tells us to firmly fix our eyes on Jesus:

“looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

It’s not enough to start with Jesus—we must stay fixed on Him, especially when the storm intensifies.

I love that Jesus didn’t shame Peter for sinking and I also love that he didn’t let him drown either.

Instead, he:

“Jesus immediately reached out His hand and took hold of him, saying, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’” - Matthew 14:31

As was common with Jesus, he offered a gentle rebuke that is something quite profound: little faith is not no faith. Peter had enough faith to step out of the boat, more than the other disciples. But it wasn’t sustained faith as it faltered under pressure.

I experience the same tension. Believing, yet allowing doubt to seep in. Trusting but also trembling. Surrendering but subtly taking control. Mark 9:24 gives us a short, effective prayer for this:

“I believe; help my unbelief!”

In other words, “I believe, help me where I don’t fully believe.”

All of this is not surprising to Jesus as he consistently meets us where weJesus, on the water are. The same hand that saves Peter is the same hand that saves us when our faith falters.

There is also a subtle lesson here that I had missed previously: the safest place to be in the middle of that storm wasn’t in the boat — it was with Jesus, on the water.

Though the boat was secure and familiar, it was still in the midst of a tempest storm. The water was wildly unpredictable, and likely impossible to stand on—yet Jesus was there.

In our lives, we can cling to "boats" of comfort, routine, and self-reliance. We may stay in situations that are leading us from, not to, the Lord or avoid hard conversations because they feel safer. But true faith means stepping out—not because the water is safe, but because Jesus is there.

In Psalm 46:1 we read that the presence of Jesus is more secure than our illusion of control,

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

The reality is the storms of life are opportunities for revelation. After Jesus and Peter return to the boat, the wind stops, and the storm ceases. And revelation is next:

“And those in the boat worshiped Him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’” - Matthew 14:33

The storm, the fear, the miracle—all of it led to a greater revelation of who Jesus is.

Just like Jesus intended – for the good!

This is true in our lives too. Storms aren’t always immediately calmed, yet He uses the storm to reveal Himself more clearly.

Sometimes, our trials are the canvas on which Jesus paints His glory. As Romans 5:3–5 teaches:

“We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.”

We have access to the power of Jesus, as Jesus said in John 14:12:

“Whoever believes in Me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these...”

And it His strength that strengthens us, not our own:

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might” – Ephesians 6:10

Supernatural life is not reserved for just the early disciples, or modern day pastors. It’s our calling too. We may not literally walk on water, but we are called to walk in faith, to do the impossible—to love enemies, forgive much, seek wisdom, trust in uncertainty, and proclaim the Gospel boldly.

But like Peter, our potential can be stunted by fear. That’s why we need to keep our eyes fixed on the One who called us out of the boat in the first place. Jesus still reaches for us. Still saves. Still calms the storm.

Today, no matter where you are —in the boat, on the water, or underwater—Jesus is near! He is not disappointed in your fear; He’s inviting you to look up and walk again.

Father, help us! Help our unbelief. Keep our eyes firmly and fiercely fixed on you. Lead us, guide us and give us wisdom and your power to endure, persevere and be a light for you in the midst of a dark world. You remind us in your word that we are “. . .in the world, but not of the world.” In light of that, help us remember the safest place while here in the world is with Jesus. Thank you Jesus for the work on the cross - it’s in your name we pray - Amen!

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