Not every day is great.  You can admit, along with every single living creature, that there are many days you experience some difficulty.  Naturally, there are challenges that seem insurmountable and there are small bumps in the road that are just annoying.  How you respond in the time of adversity is the truest measure of your faith.   The storms that brew up in your life can leave you wondering where God is.  Have you been there?  Are you there now?

What part of the Gospel of truth have you not read?  Obviously you didn’t pay attention when Jesus Christ plainly educated every believer that if you keep your eyes on Him then you will survive the waves that come crashing in around you.  When the disciple, Peter, stepped out of the boat to walk on water… he did it.  In the midst of the waves, the raging sea, and the disbelief of his buddies back in the boat… he walked on water.

Christ knew that Peter could walk on water… otherwise he wouldn’t have asked him to get out of the boat and risk drowning.  Peter had faith that his Rabbi wouldn’t allow him to drown… so he got out of the boat.  After taking a few tentative steps, Peter somehow was caught up in the wave of emotions in the moment as he was walking on water.  The sea raged around him, and he’s skipping across the surface becoming confident in his own ability.  He took his eyes off of Christ and began to actually think he could do this on his own.

Then Peter begins to sink.  Have you ever felt that sinking feeling?

Christ grabs Peter and pulls him to safety… and Peter realizes that his amazing ability had nothing to do with his own accomplishment, but what Christ can accomplish in him. The point isn’t the raging sea around you, the point is the faith that it takes to get out of the boat regardless of the conditions.

When you face adversity, when you face tough times, when you walk through the storms in life… you live in an opportunity.  Christ is calling you out of the safety of the boat to face the raging sea.  There are brothers and sisters around you who are sinking, drowning, and dying because they can’t see Christ.  You are the hands and feet of God… you are here to carry out His work.  The challenge you live in… is an opportunity.  Don’t focus on your own abilities, your own problems, or your own despair.  You will sink.

Keep your eyes on Christ, stay focused amidst the raging sea, and be the outstretched hand.  In the face of adversity… be the rescuer, not the victim.  Show your buddies the hand of Christ, and point them toward Him.  Keep your faith, and show others where to look for Christ.

Peace,
Greg Arnold
Acts 4:31
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