Daughter in Waiting Ministry

I’m glad The Lord doesn’t need us to be strong. I’m glad He doesn’t need us to evoke some false sense of confidence. I”m glad He doesn’t need us to pretend to know the way. If you’ve read my blog posts this year, you know that 2025 is a tough year. Spiritually, mentally, and physically, on all accounts, I feel weak.

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
Matthew 14:27-31 (NIV)

Peter was one of Jesus’ core ‘three’ or ‘inner circle’ within the disciples. Alongside James and John, He was set apart from the other disciples to witness important events and lead the early church. Peter, like all Christians today, received the ‘call’ of God. He was given the great commission (Matthew 28:16-20), told to share his light with the world during the Sermon on the Mount, and to love others as Jesus loves us in the new commandment (John 13:34). Peter witnessed unimaginable things with Jesus, personally walked with Him, and could still be afraid and call out, Lord, save me. 

Yes, God tells us to be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:9). He tells us to not be afraid (Isaiah 41:10), and He tells us to mix our faith with works (Hebrews 11, James 2). We see all of these asks from God reflected in the passage of Jesus walking on water. But, even if God asks us to do these things, He doesn’t expect us not to fall or to not call out to Him when we feel weak.

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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)

Why would God ask us to be strong and courageous and also expect us to be weak? The answer lies in my reflection of Peter walking on water. 

In the story, Jesus first walks on water then Peter asks if he can join Him. In the story, God does it first, then Peter joins. In this life, God did it first (Genesis 1), then we joined.

Peter witnessed God doing a miraculous thing by walking on water and wanted to do it himself. He was strong and courageous when he got out of the boat and started walking towards Jesus. When I read this passage, I thought it was harsh of Jesus to tell Peter he had little faith. How could stepping out of a boat in the night and walking on water be of little faith? Then I realized Peter must have walked in his own strength. 

If Peter had walked understanding the strength of God, the wind wouldn’t have stopped him. The bible says, Peter noticed the wind, and was afraid and began to sink. In that moment, I believe Peter’s fears, doubts, and insecurities flashed by him when he measured his own strength against the wind. Instead of measuring the wind against God’s strength, Peter began to sink.

I find myself doing the same in my life. In those moments of weakness, like Peter, I’m measuring myself against the wind instead of the wind against God’s omnipotence. When we live in our own strength as Christians, we diminish the presence of God in our lives. That’s what makes faith little and I believe that’s why God could look at a man attempting to walk on water and tell this man that he had little faith. 

Walking on water is nothing to God. Living this life is nothing to God, because He was here first. Anytime we go through life unaware of the power of God, we have little faith. 

The inverse of that would tell me that the greatest faith is found when we have a grasp of God’s power and strength. Lord, can you save me? Lord, can you help me? The greatest faith invites God in every area of life even if we think we can do it on our own. It’s a faith that calls out to God not so that we remain in our weaknesses, but so that we can do all things with the strength that He gives us. The things God asks of us in His word seem impossible only when we take Him out of the equation. God has asked us to be the light and to walk by faith in His strength, not ours. 

God is not smaller than our circumstances. God isn’t smaller than our plans. God isn’t smaller than our emotions. God’s not smaller than our environments or relationships. Whatever it is, you name it, nothing is over God. All things are under His authority (1 Corinthians 15:27). 

Peter cried out to be saved after he began to sink. Too often, we wait until we’re sinking to ask God for help. It’s sometimes after we’ve attempted to do things on our own that we begin to cry out to Him. All along, God is asking us to come to Him in all things (Proverbs 3) and to live this life with the strength He has to give us. I encourage you this week to say this simple prayer to Him. 

Lord, can you help me with: _______? You fill in the blank. 

Sincerely,

Anne

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Scripture to meditate on:

“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
Philippians 4:13 (ESV)

“God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.”
Psalm 46:1 (NKJV)

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV)