A Walk to Remember

Do you ever struggle with doubt or overthinking a decision? At times doubt and uncertainty cripples any forward progress leaving us paralyzed. Much of my own doubting and overthinking is a trauma response, sourced in the fear that I will make a mistake. Constantly second guessing even small decisions, I struggle trusting God’s leading and sit on the sidelines of my own life. Until I revisited Peter’s walk to remember on the water with Jesus.

When struggling with doubt and uncertainty amid life’s storms, remembering moments of God’s faithfulness invites me into rest within the Savior’s arms.

In the familiar passage found in Matthew 14:22-33, obedient to Christ’s instructions, the disciples endeavored to cross the Sea of Galilee, but a storm comes up, and then they become frightened by what looks like a ghost.

Exhausted by battling the storm, they now encounter something more terrifying, but quickly learn it is Christ coming to them. While such knowledge might under different circumstances provide comfort, Christ walking on the water brings even more fear and uncertainty.

Then Peter makes a jaw dropping request out of nowhere, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”  Matthew 14:28.

Jesus invites Peter to step out of the boat and come to Him and Peter hastens out of the boat onto the Sea of Galilee. We all know what happens next, Peter becomes overwhelmed with the wind and waves, takes his eyes off Jesus and sinks. Jesus rescues him, they get back into the boat and off they go.

But wait, is that the whole story?

Maybe like me, you have heard numerous sermons preached on this passage citing the need for the Christian to keep their eyes on Jesus in the storms of life ensuring we avoid becoming overwhelmed with our circumstances.

And perhaps you have heard that perspective so often you no longer see the passage with fresh eyes nor the real lesson waiting for you in Peter’s walk to remember.

Join me in revisiting this story from a different perspective.

We know from Matthew 14:22-27 Jesus sent the disciples on ahead to cross the Sea of Galilee after the feeding of the five thousand, leaving Him some much-needed time alone with HIs Father. He comes to them in the middle of the night as they toil in the wind and storm, frightening them at first, but then reassuring them.

Picking up the story in verse 28, we read about Peter’s walk to remember:

“And 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 and 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 to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.”

Matthew 14:28-32 ESV

Now at first, we see Peter walk on water, panic, begin to sink, Jesus save him, and rebuke him for his lack of faith and doubt.

But look again.

Peter was in the boat toiling in the wind and waves with the other disciples for some time before Jesus came. He requested to go to Jesus amid the boisterous wind and waves and stepped out of that boat while the sea raged. His actions required tremendous faith.

While walking an undetermined distance, his faith faltered. Jesus pulled him up, but the sea still raged while they stood there atop the Sea of Galilee together.

Then Jesus and Peter walked an undetermined distance back to the boat atop the raging sea and got in.

The wind and raging sea stopped only after they were back in the boat.

The entire exchange took place without Jesus calming the wind or waves until both He and Peter arrived back in the boat. The lesson here is not a simple need for more faith amid hard times.

Peter demonstrated great faith in stepping out of the boat onto a raging sea, trusting Christ’s invitation. But his faith faltered when he lost sight of Christ and doubted His Presence.

Think about this scene. What most perceive as a rebuke from Jesus to Peter for lack of faith was instead the tender reminder a father would give a fretting child of his presence with them.

Amid the raging sea Peter lost sight of Jesus and became afraid, but Jesus was there all the time. Jesus strengthened Peter’s trust in Him by reassuring him of His unfailing Presence even when Peter could not see Him.

Jesus never calmed the sea or wind but held Peter and walked with him through the storm to the boat.

The lesson here is not about having more faith and fewer doubts in life’s storms. Storms will come in life, even when we are fully obedient to God’s calling and instruction. When they come, we must not doubt God’s call nor His Presence with us.

Even when the raging of hard circumstances obscures our sight of Jesus, He will always be there holding us up and guiding us through to the other side.

As was the case in this story, God will not always calm the storm for us. Peter’s walk to remember through boisterous winds and raging sea while held by Jesus did more for his trust in Jesus than seeing Jesus calm the storm around him ever would have.

May we remember in the midst of our storms, we are held by Jesus and He will walk with us through to the other side.

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