Leaving the Familiar
Matthew 14:23-33
We were entirely ready to have God remove these defects of character.
Having God remove our defects can be frightening. No matter how bad life gets we tend to feel at home with what's familiar. We may stay trapped in destructive life patterns because we fear change. But if we wait for all the fear to go away before we take courageous steps, we'll never make significant progress.
Courage isn't the absence of fear. Courage means to seize the strength you find within you, to encourage yourself, to be obstinate or steadfastly minded. It doesn't mean being free of fear. It means finding enough strength to take the next step.
In the account where Jesus walks on the water, the disciples are terrified when they see him. "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. 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" (Matthew 14:28-31).
Peter gathered up enough courage to take one step. He ventured out into a new experience. When he got in over his head, he called out and found the help he needed. We, too, only need to summon the courage to take the next step. This doesn't mean that we won't feel fear or need help. It does mean that with God's help, we'll make it. All we need is the courage to take just one more step.
We need to walk with our eyes on Jesus, not on the situations we face.
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