Faith Insight 10: Peter—Trusting Christ Enough to Step Out

FAITH THAT LIVES — WEEKLY INSIGHT

Faith Insight 10: Peter—Trusting Christ Enough to Step Out

“He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.”— Matthew 14:29 (ESV)

We began this part of our Faith That Lives journey with Jesus saying:

“Follow me.”

Then we watched Abraham go without knowing where the journey would lead.

We watched Noah obey before visible circumstances confirmed what God had said.

We watched Moses confront his own inadequacy and hear God's answer:

“I will be with you.”

Now we come to Peter in a boat, on a dark and troubled sea.

The disciples had been struggling against the wind when Jesus came toward them, walking on the water.

They were terrified.

But Jesus spoke:

“Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”— Matthew 14:27 (ESV)

Peter answered:

“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”

Jesus gave him one word:

“Come.”

And Peter stepped out.

It is easy to focus on what happened next—Peter became afraid and began to sink.

But before Peter sank, something remarkable happened.

He got out of the boat.

Peter trusted Jesus enough to place his weight upon Christ's word.

For a moment, his actions said what living faith always says:

If Christ has called me, I can trust the One who calls.

Then…    Peter noticed the wind.

Fear began to overwhelm trust.

And he began to sink.

This makes Peter's story especially valuable because it gives us a realistic picture of faith.

Peter's faith was genuine, but it was not yet mature.

He could trust and then become afraid.

He could step forward and then falter.

He could look toward Jesus and then become overwhelmed by the storm around him.

That sounds remarkably like our own walk with God.

There are moments when trusting Christ seems almost natural.

Then circumstances change.

The diagnosis comes.

The relationship becomes difficult.

A plan fails.

Money becomes tight.

Someone disappoints us.

The future becomes uncertain.

The wind seems stronger, and suddenly the thing we said we trusted becomes much harder to trust.

What happened next in Peter's story may be even more important than his failure.

Peter cried:

 “Lord, save me.”

And Matthew tells us:

 “Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him.”— Matthew 14:31 (ESV)

Peter's imperfect faith encountered a faithful Savior.

That does not make his fear unimportant. Jesus challenged him about his doubt.

But Peter's failure was not the end of the story

… Christ was still there.

This is essential to understanding a faith that truly lives.

Living faith is not a life in which we never become afraid.

It is not a life in which we never stumble.

It is not a life in which our trust never weakens.

Living faith keeps turning toward Christ.

It steps when He says, “Come.”

It cries to Him when it is sinking.

It receives His hand when it has failed.

… And it continues following.

Perhaps we sometimes spend too much time measuring the strength of our faith and too little time considering the faithfulness of the One in whom our faith rests.

Peter was not held above the water by the perfection of his faith.

When he faltered, he was held by Christ.

That is a lesson worth remembering whenever our own faith feels small.

The question is not merely: “How strong is my faith?”

An even more important question is:

“How faithful is the One I am trusting?”

Abraham did not know where he was going.

Noah could not yet see what was coming.

Moses knew he was inadequate.

Peter became frightened by the storm.

Yet in every story, faith depended ultimately upon the character, word, presence, and faithfulness of God.

That is where our faith must rest as well.

FOR REFLECTION

What fear is drawing my attention away from Christ and toward the circumstances around me?

A PRACTICAL RESPONSE

Identify one situation that has been dominating your thoughts or producing fear.

Read Matthew 14:22–33 slowly.

Then name the fear honestly before God and ask:

“What has Christ already shown me about Himself that I need to trust in this situation?”

When anxiety returns, deliberately bring your attention back to that truth.

A SIMPLE PRAYER

Lord Jesus, when circumstances frighten me, turn my attention back to You. Give me courage to respond when You call and humility to cry out when I falter. Thank You that my hope does not rest in the perfection of my faith, but in Your faithfulness. Keep me near You and teach me to follow. Amen.

Next Teaching Insight: In our first 10 Faith Insights, our theme has been to explore the Foundations of Living Faith. In our next 10 Faith Insights, we will move on to learn that Trust Becomes Obedience.

Adapted from themes explored in Faith That Lives by Dr. James D. Zuber.