Don’t be afraid of failing (3)

Sunday August 25, 2024

Bob Gass

1 min read

“Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water…toward Jesus.” Matthew 14:29 NIV

The Bible says, “‘Lord, if it’s you,’ Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to you on the water.’ ‘Come,’ he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him” (vv. 28-31 NIV). When you know that you have prayed, prepared, and planned, you must step out and do it. It’s normal to experience fear when you attempt something you have never done before. Perhaps you have read the story of Peter’s attempt to walk on the water and judged him a failure. That’s not so. First, Peter gets an A for being willing to leave his safety zone and do what he had never done before. Second, he experienced the exhilaration of actually walking on water if for only a fleeting moment; no other disciple could boast of that. Third, he learned a valuable lesson: focusing on Jesus rather than your circumstances is essential when attempting the impossible. Fourth, he recognized that his survival depended solely on Jesus. “He was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ he said” (vv. 30-31 NIV). Jesus didn’t condemn Peter for failing, He just told him he needed to develop greater faith. God won’t let you drown in your mistakes. As long as you keep trusting Him, He will keep working with you until you succeed. He is your heavenly Father, and your success is His success!