Did you ever sit back, observe another brother or sister in the Lord going through a trial, and wonder how you would handle that same situation? Do you ever wonder just how deep, how strong your faith in God really is? Most of us would prefer to find the answer to these questions apart from having to go through a trial to find out, amen? How can we know our faith is weak? We are going to look at just that topic today - weak faith. Turn with me to a familiar passage of scripture found in Matthew 14 and let's read verses 24 through 28:

"But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water."

There are four little words hidden away in the verses above that give away the current condition of Peter's faith. Can you find them? They are, "Lord, IF IT BE THOU..." What does that reveal to us but the doubt that was residing within Peter's heart! Here he was about to launch out into the deep and yet, he was not absolutely positive it was the Lord! Peter was about to base his faith in God wholly on the way his circumstances would turn out rather than on knowing for sure in his heart it was God to begin with. Faith is not believing in spite of evidence, but obeying in spite of consequence! Before we launch out on the sea of life and make serious decisions, before we ever take steps in certain directions, we had better know who God is to us personally! We had better properly recognize the Lord, so that we can wisely interpret God's calling... When God says to us, "Come", we better be sure in our hearts it is He, because the winds are going to be contrary and what will you and I do then? Waver and wonder?? Be blown over?? Or stand confident because we knew to begin with that IT IS GOD. There ought to be, "No doubt about it", as the old expression goes, amen? Faith is blind - except upward! It is blind to impossibilities and deaf to doubt. It listens only to God... Dear lady, are you listening for that deeper voice across the storm that beckons you not to be afraid, that calls you to do the impossible? It's your God! Be of good cheer and rest in His ability to help you...

James 1:6, "But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed."

Ladies, have you ever found yourself in the same boat, the same circumstances as Peter? "Lord, if it be thou..." and then off you go only to sink a short time afterwards? You see, faith that starts out founded on doubt lacks endurance! You will not make it through the storms of life. Many people think that Peter began to sink because he took his eyes off Jesus, but I think he sank because he started out his walk across the water with a doubting heart. I do not think he was focused on Christ to begin with, I think he was focused on his own feet walking upon the water....

John 14:29-31, "And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"

Peter's doubt, his weak faith, caused him to view the wind around him as boisterous. Strong faith though, does not focus on the winds, it focuses on the One who controls the winds! When God says, "Come", it is because He intends to complete in us what He has begun. Peter's faith wavered when he realized what he himself was doing; he realized he was walking in doubt of God! Like you and I, he started out with good intentions - he fully intended to go to Jesus, but shortly thereafter Peter realized how weak his faith really was, right in the middle of a storm.... Then it was he looked up and cried for the Lord to save him. Praise the Lord Peter recognized that he was starting to sink and cried out to the Lord for help right away! Some of us wait too late to call upon God and end up spiritually drowning....

Psalm 50:15, "And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me."

We learn from Peter's life in our main text today that our vision dominates our faith! What we are looking at will determine the strength or weakness of our faith. What are your eyes focused on today, dear lady? Your own feet or the Lord's face? When you focus on where your feet have traveled in the past, it cripples your progress. Looking at life's present difficulties depresses and overwhelms us, doesn't it? However, looking Christward saves us! In addition, looking heavenward glorifies God...

Proverbs 4:25, "Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee."

It's up to you ladies - it's your job to control the focus of your eyes. Let them look right on the Lord, let them look straight before thee - train your eyes to see God! Feed your faith and starve your doubts to death, amen? Often times we feel like Jesus has deserted us when we are going through the hard times of life. We think He is distant and unconcerned about our situation. Nevertheless, you must be looking FOR Him, and looking AT Him! Some of us prefer to have problems to discuss, we don't really want to see the way out of them because that would require something of us (a step of faith??), so we refuse to look at Christ. No wonder you jump to the false conclusion that He is nowhere to be found! However, when you are living by faith, you are looking for and at God and you will recognize Him immediately! Your faith in Him will produce action; it will prompt you to take a little walk on the water.... Weak faith falters, but when you falter, don't sink into the depths of despair - simply cry out to the Lord for help! You see, the storms of life can lead to a deeper trust in Christ. When Peter and Jesus walked on the water TOGETHER, Peter made it into the ship safely, amen? How far away from getting into the ship are you, dear lady? Are you asking for God's help or will you choose to end up drowning? Perhaps you have already needlessly sunk into despair... If you will notice, those contrary winds ceased when Peter and Jesus made it to the ship.... Ladies, that same kind of peace is available to you and I today! We will not make it though, unless we purpose to walk WITH Christ from the beginning and not alone. The attitude of trust and confidence that the Bible calls belief or faith is not something we can obtain without help, we cannot manufacture it ourselves. Faith is a gift from God! It will lead you where you cannot walk... No matter how much faith we have as Christians, we should never reach the point of being self-sufficient, amen? Understand that faith is not stored away like money in the bank. Growing in faith is a constant process of daily renewing our trust in Christ and walking WITH Him. Your weak faith can only become strong with God's help! Have you been living as if you didn't need Him? Faith is not an easy virtue; but, in the broad world of man's total voyage through time to eternity, faith is not only a gracious companion, but also an essential guide!

God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000 Pamela A. Iannello

Related Devotional - Evidence of Strong Faith