How Do You Move from Fear to Faith?

August 14, 2023

By Brooke Holt

"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.'" Matthew 14:25-27

As I read this passage, I cannot fathom being stuck in a storm on the water at 3:00 AM. Granted, I love going to sleep early and then typically arising around 5:00 am. These poor disciples had worked alongside Jesus all day and still have had no sleep. For hours, they had been sitting in the boat experiencing a tumultuous storm. Surely, by this point, they feared for their lives and wondered how and if they would ever get to the other side of the lake. As if the situation was not terrifying enough, they looked up to see someone walking on the water.

Who could walk on the water? A ghost? A man? How could anyone walk on water and especially on this raging sea? Their questions led to more fear. They feared the storm; they feared for their lives; and now they feared this unknown being walking on the water. Who could walk on the waters? Only Jesus. Who could calm these men’s fear? Only Jesus.

Jesus longed to see these men live by faith and not in fear, so he speaks to them, “It is I.” These words to the disciples echo the words of the Lord to Moses: “’I Am’ has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:14). In walking on the water to the disciples, Jesus reveals himself as the great “I Am” – the very one who had control over the wind, the waves, and every law of nature. Thus, he could walk on the waters just as he could calm their storms.

Jesus brought his peace into the storm. His presence changed everything for those disciples. The same can be true for you. What calms fear today? The presence of Jesus, the great “I Am”. This great “I Am” is the only one who can speak a word to the winds and the waves and have them obey. Jesus can still speak to the storms in your life. More importantly, he is always with you. His presence brings peace, authority, hope, comfort. Like the disciples, Jesus invites you to trade your fear for faith.

Reflection:

What storms are you facing today? Ask the Lord to reveal his presence with you in the storm. Bring your fears before him and ask him to exchange those fears for faith. We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

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Let's face it, the Christian life is hard. Relationships take work. Christians forget. Sometimes it is tempting to go back to the days when God was not the center of our lives - to backslide. We are all faced with tremendous pressures to drift away from intimacy with Jesus and the community of the Church. However, the Lord invites us to pay attention, to move forward, to draw near, and to live lives of worship. Draw Near: Hebrews on Christian Worship is a small group Bible study on the Book of Hebrews intended to lead participants into a deeper intimacy with the living God in the context of New Testament worship. Draw nearer to God in authentic worship today!