A few hours earlier, Peter had just seen Jesus once again do a miracle. Upon the mountain in the distance, Jesus had fed the 5000 with just a few loaves of bread and fish. Now Peter was in a boat crossing the sea. Suddenly a fierce storm comes out of nowhere. In a panic, Peter looks around in despair, only to see through the mist Jesus walking on the water of the sea. Full of confidence in Jesus and His ability to work wondrous things in his life, Peter steps out of the boat and begins to walk on water as well. But then a massive wave hits and washes over him. Suddenly, he panics and begins to look at the circumstances surrounding him rather than on Jesus. As he does, he starts to sink into the water, and then into despair. Peter cries out to Jesus. And Jesus, as He always is, is right there to grab him and pull him up.

Peter is so like me. I see Jesus move in miraculous ways around me that are too powerfully coordinated to be coincidental. Full of confidence, I have great faith in what He is going to accomplish in my life, and I take a step toward Him. But then, as my eyes are on Him, the difficulties of my situation swirl around me, washing over me like a wave. Suddenly, I take my eyes off Jesus and begin to doubt. And with that doubt comes despair. I am sinking. But, just in time, JESUS reaches out to me and performs another miracle. He saves me within my circumstances, and my faith grows a little larger. It’s then I realize I have just experienced a small burst of faith growth.

In Peters’s life, these same bursts of faith growth happened over and over, and each time they did, his confidence in Jesus grew a little more. By the end of his life, Peter’s faith had grown so much that he was able to look at the circumstances surrounding him and stand upon his faith in the power of Jesus. Even upon his death, the circumstance of being crucified did not cause his faith in Jesus to waver. Peter did not sink.

I pray that throughout my life, Jesus keeps growing my faith with small bursts of faith growth. I want the ability to sense difficult circumstances surrounding me but still keep my eyes on Jesus. I know this will take time and many small bursts to accomplish. But when it happens, I know I will not sink.

I pray the same for you.