This week, my good friend, Faith Williams, sent me a text with such a profound thought that I just have to share with you all.
She said, "You know, I got worried thinking about how long all of this could last and the unknown of it all, but then a thought just crossed my mind, No matter how long this lasts it won't compare to what eternity with Jesus is going to be like."
Faith has grasped exactly what Paul was talking about in Colossians 3:2, "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." And I think if we could all really grasp that truth like she has, we would find a lot more peace in this season that we are all having to face.
Last night, the Lord really spoke to me in my quiet time on specific areas of my life He wants to grow me in during this time, but He also spoke something more broad to me through Matthew 14:22-36 that I think can encourage you and also goes hand in hand with what Faith said.
Basically, the disciples are out on a boat in a pretty crazy storm, and here comes Jesus, walking on water. He tells them it is Him and to not be afraid, and Peter tells Jesus to bid him to come out on the water. Jesus says, "Come," and here comes Peter walking on the water to Jesus.
I want to pause right there because I know, for me at least, I don't think I can say I would be Peter in this situation. I am such a play it safe person that if I am being honest with myself, I would probably be one of the disciples who stayed in the boat. I would have been like, "Hello, like do you see this wind? It's wild. It's too much. It's scary!"
So, imagine a raging storm in the middle of the sea. Peter probably thought he was putting himself in a vulnerable position. This looked like a dangerous situation, and by all human standards, it definitely was.
BUT in all reality, the waters were even safer than the boat because out on the waters is where Jesus was.
Surrender often requires vulnerability, it requires us to get out of the boat. Faith is not cultivated inside of our comfort zones. I don't know about you all, but that is convicting for me.
As the story progresses, Matthew makes it a point to say that the wind was "boisterous." This was not a light breeze, y'all. It says in verse 30 that when Peter "saw the WIND boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, 'Lord, save me.'" (emphasis mine).
This tells me that when we "sink" so to speak, this is not at all God letting us down but rather us letting Him (and ourselves) down. Peter didn't sink until he "saw the wind boisterous" and "was afraid." He was so focused on the wind that he wasn't even looking at Jesus anymore.
When we focus on our situations, of course we become afraid, of course we sink. Because the wind is boisterous, the waves are tossing, the storm is raging: it's scary. But remember Peter did not even care about that stuff until he actually looked at the wind, he was ready to jump out of the boat and walk to Jesus. He was so focused on Jesus that his surroundings didn't matter.
When you "sink," it is because you are giving more attention and focus to the wind than you are the One who can silence the wind with just one word.
Throughout this crazy time we are living in, I want to walk on the water. I don't want to look at the wind. I want to have my eyes so fixed on Jesus that nothing else, not the wind, not the waves, not the storm, matters. Just Him. I don't want Jesus to see me as "thou of little faith" (Matt. 14:31). I want Him to look at me and say "I have not found so great a faith, no, not in Israel" (Matt. 8:10).
We are safer right where we are than we ever could be, and you want to know why? Because Jesus is right here. This is where Jesus is and where He has us. There is no safer place than right here with Him.
This comes full circle to what Faith texted me a couple of days ago and Colossians 3:2. If we set our affections on eternity with Jesus (something that is certain for those of us who have placed our faith and trust in Him), we won't be so worried about the uncertainty of this world.
If you have never placed your faith in Jesus, if you do not have that certainty of eternal life with Him, but you would like to, please reach out to me! I'd love to talk to you about it. There is no better time than right now to make things right with God.
(Side note: this photo is from last summer, so don't worry I am social distancing. This picture just seemed fitting to the post, "boisterous" wind and all). :)
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