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Faith To Step Out

Writer's picture: Danielle RoettDanielle Roett

Stepping out in faith is by far one of the hardest things that we are tasked with, as children of God. There will be times when He asks us to do things that lack reason. There will be times when He expects us to follow Him in the dark…with little to no detail of what the next step will be or how we will get there. Following Him requires the ability to trust him…even in the face of doubt…even in the face of uncertainty. And, this is not easy. I can remember the gut wrenching feeling of saying yes to God. I can remember thinking of all the what-ifs. What would happen if something went wrong? What would happen if I hadn’t really heard God? What if I made the wrong decision in trusting Him? Would He keep his promise to me? Would He ensure my safety? All of these questions ran through my mind. I wasn’t sure if I was making the right decision, but I decided to take the leap of faith anyway.


Walking by faith requires us to put all of our eggs in one basket.


This means that we must be willing to put all of our hope in God. We aren't walking by faith when we have a back up plan. We aren't walking by faith if we're holding on to the edge of the boat. We must be like Peter. We must have the courage to let go of the grip that we have on our lives. We must have the faith to step out into the open sea and believe that He will sustain us.


Walking by faith only happens when we're willing to step out into a space where only God can save us.


Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. (Matthew 14:28‭-‬29 NLT)


Peter had the courage to step out of the boat. He had the faith to put his safety in the Lord’s hands; and because of this, he experienced the miracle of walking on water. This is a miracle that many of us can’t even fathom, so let’s put it into perspective. What are you believing in God for? Has He promised you something that seems beyond your reach…something that you are afraid to hope for? Maybe He’s promised you healing. Maybe He’s promised you restoration. Maybe He’s promised to equip you for purpose. And, He’s asking you to step out from where you are now, so that you can receive what He has for you. This is your walk on water moment. Do you have the faith to step out of the boat? Do you have the courage to take the leap of faith?


I want to pause for a moment and acknowledge something as we talk about courage and faith. It’s easy to hear these words, and say to ourselves, “Well, no. I don’t have the courage to do this. I don’t have the faith to step out of the boat.” But, I believe that many of us think of these words and we relate them to how we are feeling. Maybe we don’t feel courageous. Maybe we don’t feel full of faith. But, I want to remind us that faith isn’t a feeling. Faith is an action that says regardless of my feelings, I’m going to trust God. And the same goes for courage. We can have the courage to trust in God, even when we feel weak…even when we have doubt. We can see evidence of this as we read through Peter’s miracle on the water.


So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” (Matthew 14:29‭-‬31 NLT)

When Peter began to sink, it was because of his fear and doubt. But, I want to assert that it was there all along. He was human just like you and me. He was by no means perfect; so, I’m sure he was afraid. I’m sure that in the seconds leading up to the miracle he thought of the danger that he faced. But, I believe that in the face of that danger, he chose to put his faith in Jesus. He had the courage to look his Savior in the eyes, step out onto the water, and walk on it. Peter’s story is a perfect depiction of what it looks like to walk in faith.


As you ponder what God is asking of you, I want you to know that you will experience feelings of fear and doubt. And I want you to know this because I want you to understand that these feelings come with the territory. These feelings are a part of what it means to be human and trust God at the same time. But, I also want you to understand that these feelings are just that…feelings. They do not have the power to dictate your faith, unless you allow them to.


God always equips those He calls.


For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. (Philippians 2:13 NLT)


Now may the God of peace— who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood— may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen. (Hebrews 13:20‭-‬21 NLT)


We serve a God that gives us everything that we need to do what He calls us to do. If He’s shown you your purpose, He will equip you to walk in that purpose. If He’s calling you to believe in Him for healing, He will enable you to hope in Him; He will enable you to wait for Him, and He will give you all the strength that you need. But first, you must be willing to step out of the boat. He can’t enable you to walk on the water when you aren’t willing to get wet. He can’t save you, if you aren’t willing to put your life in his hands.


Failure is a part of the journey.


We can’t allow the what-ifs to stop us from trusting in God. As I said earlier, we will have feelings of fear and doubt along the way. There will be times when we sink because we’re focusing on the waves. But as in Peter’s story, Jesus is always right beside us. He will never abandon us. He will never fail us. He will always come to our rescue and place us right back on the path that He has for us.


Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.” (Deuteronomy 31:8 NLT)


Our faith has the potential to build faith in others.


The first time I stepped out in faith, I was believing in God to heal my marriage. At the time, my situation seemed impossible. I didn’t have the energy to trust in God, let alone the courage or faith. But I remember hearing the testimony of an amazing couple at church. They shared the truth of the turmoil that they went through, and they shared how God redeemed their impossible situation. Their message was, “If God can do it for us. He can do it for you.” And their story imparted faith into me. It gave me hope that God might do for me what He did for them. Their faith gave me the courage that I needed to step out of the boat.


Sharing my story isn’t easy. At times, I’ve felt the fear of possibly being judged by others. At times, I’ve doubted whether I’m capable enough to do this. Am I good enough? But then, I remember all that God has done for me. And, If there’s a chance that my story might reach one person…it’s all worth it.


Your Father has an amazing plan for your life. He has a plan to redeem everything that you have lost. He has a plan to restore you to a place that you can’t even fathom. But to see all that he has for you, you must have the faith to step out. He wants you to let go of where you are now, so that you can receive something so much better. You don’t have to worry about whether you're good enough. You don’t have to worry about whether you have enough faith or courage, because He calls you just as you are…everything else will be given to you along the way. Today, make the decision to allow Him to equip you for purpose. Make the decision to trust Him for promise. And once you’re walking on water, share your story. Allow your miracle to enlarge the faith of someone else. Allow God to move through you. Then…you will be fulfilled, because that is what purpose does. Now believe Him for it.






Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for the amazing plan that you have for my life. Today, I have been reminded that purpose and promise require faith. I have been reminded that I can’t receive what you have for me, unless I am willing to let go of where I am now. But, I have also been reminded that I don’t have to be perfect, and I don’t have to do this in my own strength. So today, I am making the decision to use the strength that I do have, and I believe that you will equip me with whatever I need along the way. Thank you for your presence. Thank you for fighting for me. Thank you for providing for me. Thank you in advance for giving me everything that I need. I love you, Father. In Jesus’ name, amen.







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