Hello, Beloved Reader! I’m Faith. Thanks for visiting me today.

Before we get started, I’ve got some reading for you to do. Check out Matthew 14:22-33.

Now, this is an event that a lot of people have heard about. Even some who aren’t Christians have heard the tale of Peter walking on the water with Jesus. It’s a story that most of us are well familiar with. So, why am I bringing this up? Let me ask you this first:

What are you looking at?

What is catching your attention right now? What consumes your thoughts at the moment? What is your brain engrossed in every second of the day? What do you have your eyes set on?

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

There are three things Peter did here. 

He saw the boisterous wind.

“But, Faith, you can’t see wind,” you might say. No, but you can see its effects. You can see what it moves. The wind made the sea toss the boat. It created crashing waves and splashed water upon them. Peter looked at the storm, at the trial, around him. He looked at that instead of looking straight ahead.

Keep your eyes and ears on Jesus. Don’t look to the left or right. The world is full of storms and trials. Stop looking at them. Stop listening to the enemy. Don’t give him any room in your heart. For if you do, the second thing happens.

Peter grew afraid.

He got scared. He had doubts his faith would take him through. He doubted he could conquer. He doubted he could make it to Jesus, “He’s too far! I’ll never make it! This storm will surely pull me under. I will have the sea as my grave.”

And that is what brought him down. The funny thing is, he brought himself down. He let the fear get a hold on him. He dwelled on the doubts. He watched the contrary sea and listened to the lies the splashing waves sprayed in his face. He believed it, and so, he began to sink.

Then the third thing happened; He cried.

He cried out, calling for salvation with one desperate plea, “Lord, save me!” And God reached down, pulling him up. But what would have happened if he had never taken his eyes off the Lord? How would the story have changed?

How would your story change? Are your eyes on Jesus? Are you listening to the waves or the call of the Lord? Is the sickness consuming your thoughts? Are the worries of the world catching your attention? Are you setting your eyes to the Lord for help?

Peter called out to the Lord. He couldn’t save himself, and he knew it. The only One he could look to was Jesus. He looked at Jesus and made his way toward him, but when he gazed at the problem, he faltered. Don’t listen to the enemy. Don’t even listen to yourself. A person’s mind can fly out of control sometimes. Instead, look at Jesus. Listen to Jesus. Then, and only then, can we truly endure to the end.

So, take a moment and figure out where your eyes are, and where they need to be.

–Faith Cross