His Authority Calms My Storms
His Authority Calms My Storms
“Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowds. After dismissing the crowds, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone, but the boat was now a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. In the fourth watch of the night, He came to them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
Peter answered Him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, walked on the water, and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind ceased, and those in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” - Matthew 14:22-33 ESV
I can relate to the disciples in this passage on a deep, emotional level. Am I the only one?
“I hope you come to understand that we have a forgiving Savior who walks on the very unforgiving waves we fear will drown us.”
There they are in the early morning hours, in the dark, battling a raging sea without their Savior in the boat with them. Although these fishermen are skilled in sailing and fishing, I can imagine their hearts are troubled by the harsh tide in the dark.
While I may have some basic life skills to ensure my survival, I still find myself grappling with harsh circumstances that trouble my heart—and my mind.
As external stressors of life increase and evolve, my anxiety tends to mirror that same pattern. My thoughts spiral out of control, leaving me in a state of panic.
I feel abandoned, as if I'm left to fight this raging sea alone—regardless of whether I am surrounded by family and close friends.
As we read further, we find that the disciples spot Jesus walking on the water, and instantly are terrified.
Without hesitation, Jesus calls out to them: “Do not be afraid. It is I.” Their Savior. Their Friend.
This very God-man walking on water is taking dominion over the unforgiving waves that could drown His disciples.
The same Jesus who walked on water and has power over the forces of nature possesses the same power today to calm our own waves that seem to threaten to consume us.
Next, we see Peter gain holy confidence and challenge Jesus to call him onto the water. In pure faith, Peter steps out and walks on water toward Jesus.
And here is where I can relate again.
While walking on water, Peter takes his eyes off Jesus for just a moment, allowing the overwhelming stimuli of his surroundings to take hold of his mind, and he becomes terrified (I’ve been there, done that). What happens next?
He sinks. The moment he sinks, he cries out for Jesus to save him. Immediately (there’s that familiar reaction from Jesus), He reaches out His hand and asks Peter why he doubted.
Friend, I stand here today as a witness that I have had my own “Peter moments” of doubt. Time and time again, I am rescued by Jesus when I call out to Him. He doesn’t wait; He immediately saves my troubled mind from the raging seas of panic that I face more often than I’d like to admit.
So many times, I have believed the waves of panic, defeat, rejection, isolation, and judgment would swallow me whole. However, in those moments, I hold on to what’s true: I have a God by my side who not only calls out to me but also watches my every step—holding dominion over my circumstances with His mercy and grace.
In His sovereignty, I can find rest and experience peace, free from fear regarding my surroundings or my future.
I hope you come to understand that we have a forgiving Savior who walks on the very unforgiving waves we fear will drown us. As long as we keep our focus on Him, we can boldly pursue what He has called us to do, experiencing a peaceful mind along the way. Troubled waves will come, but who and what we focus on makes all the difference.
Just as Peter achieved the impossible, we too can overcome what seems impossible through the power of Jesus.
Challenging you to be an overcomer,