Stepping Out on Faith

Scripture: Matthew 14:22-33

Key Verse: Matthew 14:29

Sometimes life will put you in a position where you have to make a difficult decision. The product of that decision may then impact your family or your future. In those moments, the tension can be high because one option may appear to be safer than the other, but this is where you must step out on faith. You must pray to God about your options and follow where He wants you to go and once you are there you can’t get distracted by your surroundings. You must always stay focused on Him.

In the scripture for today, Peter is faced with a difficult decision. He can be obedient to God, which is one of the components of faith, or he can stay where he feels most comfortable. Peter decides to be obedient, but in His obedience, He takes his eyes off Jesus and focuses on his surrounding, which causes Him to sink (v.29-30). There are many of you who have been given the opportunity to follow Christ but decided not to out of fear of what others around you may think about the choice. Then, there are others of you who followed Christ for a while but somewhere along the way you got distracted by something else in the world, so now you are sinking. Regardless of who you are today God is extending His hand to save you (v.31). He wants you to know that when you make these life decisions you are not in them alone. He will always be by your side and show up right on time.

Stepping out on faith can be a little uncomfortable, but it is always okay to ask God to show you a sign (v.28). However, if you ask for the sign you must wait for the response before you act (v.29). Some of us get upset with God when things don’t go our way, but it is our fault for not waiting for Him to give us clearance on what we should do. Then when we start to sink, we would rather let others throw us a pity party instead of letting God save us so that we can try again. It is the saving from the mistake that often brings new souls to Christ. When we see God work miracles that often catches our attention way faster than just reading His word because, as humans, we rely a lot on what is in front of us. (However, if you remember the definition of faith, we can’t rely on what we see.) God is able to make the impossible possible. He wants to help you accomplish your dreams. He wants to see you safe and happy, so that He can get the glory out of the situation. God loves you and doesn’t want you to get hurt. While you are making this plan for your life, make sure that it aligns with God’s will because; if it is in His will, then it will be easier for you to step out on faith. Also, you can’t be afraid to speak your dreams into existence. If you think that you are headed in the direction God wants you to go, then call out to Him and ask Him to meet you there. Allow Him to clear the way for you.

On the other hand, once you step out on faith, you must stay focused on God. There will be people and various obstacles that will try to get your attention. They are simply there to test your faith. However, in order to ensure that He will get the glory in the end God has to remain in control. So, the moment you stop focusing on Him, you can expect that things will begin to go bad. And, while it is true that He will help you get back to safety, keeping your eyes on Him just allows for it to be a smoother journey than you trying to do the impossible with your human abilities. God wants to help you step out on faith. He wants to blow your mind and make your wildest dreams come true. Will you trust Him?

Prayer: Lord, thank you for giving me the opportunity to step out on faith. I need you Lord. I need you to help my dreams come true. Lord help me to remain focused on you throughout this journey, so that you can get the glory for my success. In Jesus’ name, Amen.