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Maintaining Your Focus When in the Storm

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

Matthew 14:31

I just got the Prom pictures back of my daughters’ night out. They were so lovely and I was proud to see them enjoying themselves. As I scrolled through the pictures I thought of the joy they have brought to my life and how thankful I was for them.

Until………I saw the picture of the three of us.

There I was tired and fading nestled between the full blooms of youth. I immediately began to focus on the negatives, my weight, my tired skin and less than perfect teeth. Suddenly I did not want anyone to look at that picture. I was embarrassed. In that moment my focus had been diverted and my joy was drained. All I saw were my flaws and not the full picture.

I think several of us get our attention taken from the big picture and focus on the flaws. The old adage “The devil’s in the details” is probably spot on. As my attention was focused on the negative I was missing out on what that picture was really about. It was about my joy as a mother and my daughters’ excitement of the evening. When I pulled back and really looked at that photo is was a moment of pride and happiness.

It is so easy to get our focus derailed. Just ask Peter. I always felt sorry for Peter. This big strong fisherman wanted so badly to serve God and follow Jesus but he kept letting his focus get compromised. He tried so hard but lost his center and got scared. I really identify with him. That’s me in a nutshell.

One evening after Jesus had taught and then fed the multitude, He went to pray. He had asked the disciples to rent a boat. He told them to take it out and He would meet them later.

Well into the night Jesus dwelt with His Father in prayer. I imagine after all that traveling, teaching and performing miracles, Jesus knew He needed to strengthen His focus and did so by communing with the Father. It was now just before dawn and a storm was on the sea. The ship the disciples had procured was struggling being tossed by waves and the wind blowing against it. (Matthew 14:24-25) You can imagine that the disciples and the sailors were struggling to keep the ship upright. I have no doubt they were scared and worried. I cannot fathom what went through their minds when they saw Jesus coming to them walking.

Matthew tells us they thought it might have been a spirit. (14:26)

Now I can just see Peter clinging to the ropes, rain pelting him, the wind ripping at his clothes, the thunder clashing and the rhythmic flashes of lightning revealing a figure. I am sure that after all they had witnessed and been a part of in their travels with Jesus that they had come to expect the unusual. The storm raged, but the figure came closer. It was then that Jesus told them to not be scared, “It is I”. (14:27)

Now Peter was transfixed on the form of Jesus calmly coming to him. “Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.”

Jesus said, “Come.”

The Bible says that Peter came down out of the ship. I take from that that it was a large vessel and not a little dingy. Peter climbed out, then once out Peter with his gaze fixed on Jesus walked on water.

Can you imagine that moment? Eyes locked on the Savior of all men, the waves crashing, the sky black before the dawn, the howl of the wind, the taste of salt and Peter is defying everything he had ever known by simply keeping his focus on Jesus. Though all those things were going on around Peter he was walking. The Bible does not say that he struggled against the wind, or that he ran or stumbled, it says he walked.

Until…………

“But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and began to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.” Matthew 14:30

“and immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand, and caught him, and said unto him. O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” Matthew 14:31

Once Peter allowed His focus to be compromised, he became afraid and began to sink. He failed to hold on to his faith in Jesus. There have been times like that in my life. I let my focus on Jesus be stolen by my fears of what this world was slinging at me. I begin to doubt and then I begin to sink.

However, when Peter called out over the thunder and gale “Lord save me” Jesus does not hesitate to reach for him and lift him out of the sea. Verse 31 says “immediately” Jesus stretched His hand to Peter.

When you are caught in the storm, your focus compromised, your thoughts consumed with fear, call out to Jesus. Without hesitation HE WILL lift you from the storm.