“When You Feel Like You’re Drowning, Trust the One Who Walks on Water”
“When you feel like you’re drowning, trust the One who walks on water.” This was my thought as I went to bed last night. Earlier that day, I was stranded on the road for three hours after trying to give my 3rd oldest son a Birthday celebration that I’d been promising him since June (we were going to go, but he broke his wrist, and then I went in to the hospital, and both of our recoveries, plus a busy family of six kept pushing that back). For some of that time, he and his friend, and my wife sat in a broken-down vehicle outside of a derelict house in the middle of nowhere (the friends mom came and got the boys, so they got home safe and sound). Some birthday party, right? On top of all of that, I kept thinking, since we’re now down to one car, “how am I going to pay for this?” The medical bills are coming due, and are extensive, we ARE getting a car that can accommodate our family, but there’s extra cost to that, costs keep climbing, and, though my body and actions are calm, on the side of that road, overwhelmed in my mind, I kept asking “where is our relief?”
A friend and his wife came to pick us up. They had a car for us to use while we wait for our new vehicle to show up. God answers prayers and I was in the middle of one, but (and I hate saying “but” because it tends to erase the power of the words before it) the enemy of my soul seems to be coming at me from all sides. Yesterday, I cried out for help, I need relief! And yet, in the quiet of my soul (yes, in the middle of all this chaos, I have peace), I hear “when you feel like you’re drowning, trust the One who walks on water.” And I remembered how Jesus rebuked Peter, who looked at the wind and waves instead of his Master “Oh you of little faith, why do you doubt?” So my wife and I prayed together. I fell asleep. I wake up, still overwhelmed in my mind, but still at peace in my heart. And I still trust Jesus.
Matthew 14:22-33
Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land,c beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But 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.”
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. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
2 Corinthians 1:8-11
For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.
2 Corinthians 12:1-10
I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses— though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
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