Are You Looking at the Storm?

In Matthew 14:23-33, we read:

²³And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

²⁴But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

²⁵And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

²⁶And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

²⁷But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

²⁸And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

²⁹And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

³⁰But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

³¹And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

³²And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.

³³Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.


Many of you may be facing storms in your life right now. Maybe you've found yourself unemployed, and having a hard time finding work. Maybe you're having trouble paying your bills, or simply having a hard time keeping up with them at all. Maybe there is some kind of drama in your family right now, or maybe you are feeling that your job is making more demands than what you are able to give. In some ways, you may be feeling overwhelmed by the situations that you face. Even looking outside of personal experiences, you may be thinking that the future looks harsh. Prices being raised, a struggling economy, increasing tensions among nations, and simply bazarre news stories. These things can be enough to create fear in people, wondering what's next.

In all of these concerns, and all of these struggles, it's important to keep our eyes on Jesus. If you have a storm that is brewing in your life, or even if it is raging, keep your eyes on Jesus. Just as Peter when he was standing on the water, Jesus is able to keep us afloat. The greater the storms we face, the more cautious we need to be of where our focus is at. These things we have to deal with, they demand our focus and they insist on our attention. It can be really hard not to find ourselves dwelling on these things. Then like Peter, we find ourselves sinking and struggling, fearful. But even then Jesus will be there, reaching out His hand to us, saying, 'You of little faith. Why did you doubt?'

You see, no matter what we are facing, no matter what our obstacles are, no matter how high the odds are stacked against us - Jesus is there. He is with us, and He will keep us afloat. We just need to be sure that we are keeping our eyes on Him rather than the storm.

Don't let the storm capture your focus. Keep your eyes on Jesus!