GET YOUR FAITH BACK

I was reading the story in the Bible when Peter walks on water, and I thought to myself, “When did Peter’s faith change?” What caused Peter to go from believing that he could walk on water in the middle of a storm to getting fearful in that same storm? Peter went from faith to fear in a matter of seconds. The same water that he walked on, he then started to sink in and I kept asking myself, what changed? What happened to Peter to make him go from believing to doubting? When was the moment that his faith took a turn? It was when he took his eyes off of who was in front of him and began to focus on what was happening around him… that’s the moment his faith changed and that’s the moment he started to sink.

“But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.” Matthew 14:30 NLT

Can you recall the moment your faith changed? Can you recall the moment you went from living in faith to operating in doubt? When did you lose your bold faith where you dared to believe God for big things— things that had never happened before? What storm in your life convinced you that God was no longer capable of doing what you were believing him to do? Or what was so significant about what was happening around you that caused you to take your focus off of the one who was in front of you? Can you pinpoint your Peter moment?

I can… It was 10/13/2020 at 5:40 a.m.

I was in the middle of a storm and up until that moment I had enough faith to believe that I could walk on the strongest waves, but then those waves and the wind of the storm began to grow — “I’m sorry. She was already gone when I came to check on her.” That’s what the hospice nurse said to me over the phone as tears streamed down my face, as I realized that the storm I was in had just went from bad to worst. I went from believing that God was a healer to doubting if he could heal at all but what I didn’t realize is that the storm didn’t come to make me doubt, but it came to help me believe. The storm’s purpose was to teach me how to trust God even when it was easier to doubt him — to teach me, to keep walking in faith no matter what was happening around me.

“Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” Matthew 14:31 NLT

What happened to you that was meant to make you better but made you bitter instead? I know that walking in faith is easier said than done, trust me. It took me a long time to get to this point where I can pinpoint where I went wrong instead of blaming God for allowing the storm to even happen. For the longest the only thing that I could focus on is the fact that the storm happened… the fact that here I was again for the second time burying another parent. I didn’t care that the storm had purpose because I was too busy focusing on the pain that it caused. I don’t know where you are in your storm… Maybe your in the beginning – trying to figure out where God is….Maybe you’re in the middle – you finally see him and you have this great faith.. or maybe your towards the climax of the storm and the winds and waves have grew and it’s hard to keep your focus on Jesus.. or maybe, your storm is ending and you’re finally able to pinpoint that where you went wrong is taking your eyes off of Jesus and although your storm is ending you still feel a little sea-sick, your heart is still a little bruised. I get it. My heart is bruised too but I have my eyes back on Jesus and I’m ready to operate in big faith again…

I want the same thing for you. I want you to dare to believe God again. I want you to trust him in ways that you’ve never trusted him before. I want you to get your faith back, and it won’t be easy but we can do it together. I want to see you healed and whole operating in your purpose — focused and aware so you can be who God has called you to be. The storm comes to test us and I’m praying that God gives you the strength to pass this test.

Dear Heavenly Father,

I thank you for being present in my storm. I thank you for not leaving me to ride the crazy waves and winds of life on my own.. You’ve been here the whole time & the times where I couldn’t see you are only because I took my eyes off of you. Help me to regain focus of you. Don’t allow me to continue to be distracted by what I see but increase my faith that I might believe more. Give me the kind of faith that makes me believe that I can walk on water in the middle of a storm because I have you guiding me. Cover my mind from every thought of doubt and fear. Heal my heart from the disappointment of what happened in the storm. I love you but I want to trust you again. Please show me how to trust you again.

In Jesus Name,

Amen