Walking on Trust

In Matthew 14:22-33, Jesus sent His disciples away in a ship while he sent the multitudes of people following them away. While the disciples were on the seas, they were tossed with waves and a strong wind. Early in the morning, Jesus walked on the sea toward the ship. When the disciples saw Him on walking on the seas, they were afraid, but He told them who He was and not to be afraid. Peter cried out to Him and said, “Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.”

Jesus said “come,” and Peter walked on the water toward Jesus.

1. Trust is a journey between two rivers of life. When God desires us to trust Him, we know it will stretch our mind, will, and capacity of our current standing. It will cause us to give up our desire to control people or a situation and move into the ‘unknown.’ What is unknown is not what God said, but how things will end up for us.

2. Trust initiates an internal question. “Will I trust God?” This is the question we are faced with as the ‘storms ‘of the situation rage around us.

3. An internal storm rages within. We want to trust and believe, but we keep looking at what’s going on around us. We’ll refuse to move unless we can somehow or in some way control at least a small part of the situation.

This is when we must work out our salvation with God and reason with Him (Isaiah 1:18; Philippians 2:12). See, in these situations we keep looking at our internal storms rather than going to God to work out our doubts and fears. By continuing to seek after God, we place ourselves in a better ‘position’ to hear from God and trust Him rather remaining in fear and doubt.

4. Trust ends with an external decision. If we find that we’re unable to have any control over the situation, (a) we’ll remain still and do nothing; (b) make a decision to control the situation (which is not what God wanted us to do) and we cause the situation to become worse; or (c) we’ll trust God and follow His plan and will.

Following option (c) can sometimes be a challenge because we spend so much time focusing on the storms around us (and within) that we choose option (a) or (b). Trusting God is not the absence of these internal storms, but moving out in spite of them.

When Peter took a step out of the ship and unto the water, the seas were still raging and the wind was blowing. In spite of what was going on around him, he took a step, and so can you.

Take your opportunity to step out of your situation and trust God. The internal storms may rage from time to time, but continue looking at God. Keep remembering the words He spoke and know that He hasn’t brought you this far to leave you (Philippians 1:6).

^{Photo courtesy of CreationSwap/deaconales}