And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
(Matthew 14:28–31 ESV)
The storms of life that we sail through are noisy. When we weather difficulty, or encounter suffering, or when the suffering of others is broadcast in the news, life seems to get louder. Trouble comes with a cacophony of noise.
There’s the noise of the media, the noise of others’ opinions and counsel, the noise of our own heart churning out questions and trying to make sense of our trouble. Hardship and sorrow internal or external to us disquiet our minds.
There’s a story in the Bible that gave me a clear picture of what to do when I’m overwhelmed by the noise that accompanies suffering and sorrow. It’s the story of Peter, Jesus’ disciple, walking on water in the middle of a storm. It’s a great picture for us of what we can do when we are intimidated by the roar of the storms in our lives.
The Scenario of the Storm
This story of Peter directly follows a big win for the faith of Jesus’ disciples. Earlier in Matthew 14, Jesus allowed them to witness and participate in a miracle—feeding over 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish (Matthew 14:17)! After this, Jesus sent the disciples by boat across the water ahead of him as he dismissed the large crowd.
The boat sailed far from the land, and Scripture says that it was beaten by the waves because the wind was against it (Matthew 14:24).
Picture yourself as one of the disciples for a moment. You just witnessed an amazing miracle, but now, you’re away from your leader, Jesus. The wind is loud. The waves rise and buffet against the boat. You’re unsettled, disoriented. The confidence you just felt hours ago is washed away by the chaos of the moment. Sound relatable?
Peter Walks on the Water
What happens next is that the disciples look out onto the water and see someone walking. Assuming it’s a ghost, they are terrified. But it is Jesus, walking on the waves. Jesus, in his kindness, says to them: “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid” (Matthew 14:27 ESV).
Peter, one of the disciples eager to depend on the Lord, tells Jesus that if it is truly him, he should command Peter to come out onto the water with him. Jesus’ response? “Come.”
Peter, eyes locked onto Jesus, walks out into the waves. Though the noise of the wind and waves, and fear of the moment still roar around him, he fixes his gaze on Christ and does the miraculous: walks on the water—that is, until he stops looking to Jesus. At that moment, he sees the wind, allows fear to overtake him, and begins to sink.
What happens next may be just as important as the miracle Peter just experienced: Jesus extends his hand to Peter, saving him from the chaos, and reminds him not to doubt.
Keep Your Eyes Fixed on Jesus
What can we learn from this powerful story?
Keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus in the middle of our storms helps us to do the miraculous in our own circumstances. “Walking on water” may look like forgiving someone who has wounded you deeply, engaging in that hard conversation you would rather avoid, showing up for your day when your heart is troubled, inviting friends and neighbors to read the Bible with you, or striving forward into one more day of faithfulness at your job. Obedience to Jesus requires Jesus’s own supernatural power and faith.
In the middle of our chaos, Jesus is beckoning us to believe in him. Jesus says to us in our storm the same words he said to Peter and the rest of the disciples: “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid” (Matthew 14:27 ESV).
Friend, if you have trusted in Jesus to save you from your sins, you do not have to be afraid. Jesus has removed from you the punishment you deserve. Jesus loved you so much that he willingly laid down his life for you (John 15:13).
If you have not trusted in Jesus to save you from your sins, then Jesus wants to keep you from sinking for all eternity in the greatest storm, the storm of God’s wrath. Have you taken his hand stretched out to you in love? If you do, then you will have no need to fear.
What Does It Mean to Fix Our Eyes on Jesus?
So, in the middle of your storm, in the noise of the wind, fix your gaze on Jesus. Ignore the roar of the waves and divert your attention to Jesus. You can do this by listening to his Word, the Bible, by directing your thoughts to him through prayer or listening to music that sings out the truth about him. However you choose to direct your heart and attention to Jesus, trust that in fixing your gaze on Jesus, Jesus can accomplish the miraculous in your life by his power. And when you get distracted by the roar of the sea again, look back to Jesus. He is always reaching out his hand to you.
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” (Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV)