IF YOU WANT TO WALK ON WATER, YOU MUST BE WILLING TO GET OUT OF YOUR BOAT
On one occasion, in Matthew chapter 14, Jesus drew from his disciples and went to pray in solitude. When he came back, the disciples were far off from the lakeshore. Their boat had been tossed by the sea waves. Being all able, Jesus decided to walk on water towards them.
When the disciples saw Jesus in a distance, walking on water towards them, they were greatly terrified. They thought he was a ghost. Noticing their fear, Jesus told them, “Do not be afraid. It is I!”
With all the disciples still in utter amazement, Peter made a daring request, “Lord, if it is you, tell me to come to you on water.”
“It is me Peter, come!” Jesus replied.
With a crazy kind of faith, Peter lifted up his foot and stepped out of the boat! With everyone watching with their jaws dropped, Peter actually walked on water! In Matthew 14:29, the Bible says, “Then Peter stepped down from the boat, and walked on the water towards Jesus.”
Now, just like Peter, if you want to walk on water, so to speak; if you want to do something beyond the ordinary; and if you want to make that profound impact with your life, you must be willing to step out of your boat. You must be willing to take a bold step of faith and move out of your safe and familiar territory. You must be willing to take risks.
Show me a person who takes risks and I will show you a person who has great faith. Really, our faith is demonstrated by our willingness to take risks.
Are you willing to move out of your safe and familiar territory? Are you willing to step out of your comfort zone? Most importantly, are you willing to take risks?
Choosing “yes” to these questions is the first step to demarcating yourself from the vast majority of people who relax in their comfort zone and just accept life as it comes, never doing anything profound with their lives.
It is amazing to me that the rest of the disciples, just like their colleague Peter, had spent time with Jesus and seen Him do great miracles yet none of them was willing to take a risk. For this reason, they NEVER had the extraordinary experience Peter had—doing the unthinkable and actually walking on water!
I wonder how many times God calls us to do something extraordinary but we fail to do. Even though we say we have faith in Him, we doubt and we’re unwilling to take risks.
In my life experience, I have learned that failing to take risks is actually risking even more. You see, the more you take risks, the better. However, if you claim to have faith but you’re never ready to take any challenge due to the fear of failure, no matter how much faith you profess, you will never grow in faith. You will never stretch. And ultimately, you will join the club of the vast majority who just flounder through life.
The Bible challenges us that, with God, all things are possible, and according to our faith it will be done.
Remember faith without action is dead! I charge you to demonstrate your faith by taking challenges by the horns. Like peter, take risks. Step out of your boat and watch what God can do in you and through you!
