Fear is a storyteller, but it isn’t always a truthful one. Give it one bad possibility, and it will fill in the rest.
Once, Jesus told his disciples to cross the lake. So, they got into a boat and went. As they were going, the wind rose against them. During their struggle, sometime before the morning, they saw someone walking toward them on the water.
It was Jesus. But their fear took one look at him and called him a ghost.
They eventually recognize Jesus, and Peter asks him to call him out onto the water with him. So, Jesus did. And Peter walked on water toward Jesus. We tend to remember what happened next. Peter noticed the wind and began to sink. But before he sank, remember that he walked on water first. As he started to sink, he cried, “Lord, save me!” Jesus reached out and caught him.
Before that, Peter and the others had cried out because they thought Jesus was a ghost. Now Peter was afraid again, but he cried out for a different reason. This time, he called to Jesus. That sounds like growth to me. It's worth reflecting on that Peter stepped out of the boat while he was still afraid. And when the wind scared him, too, he called out to Jesus for help.
Maybe there’s a step you've needed to make that fear is telling stories about. To be sure, you may need to prepare for it. And you may need someone to go with you. But you can also always pray while you take it.
Take a moment to listen again for the voice that called Peter by name. And if you find yourself sinking, “Lord, save me” is a prayer Jesus still hears.
Stay blessed...john
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