Walking on Water

As a Christian, one of the most frequent questions that I hear is “Why do bad things happen to good people?” – or some variation on that theme. And, honestly, I don’t think that there is any one best answer to that question. What I do know is that we live in a fallen world and therefore, whether we like it or not, we are going to experience some suffering while we’re here. Suffering is a relative term, and what one person may consider “suffering” may seem trivial to someone else. But, nonetheless, when you’re going through a difficult time, it’s hard not to question God or demand for Him to “fix it,” as my Pastor said this morning.

Another thing I know to be true is that God is in control. Nothing happens without His knowledge. We can have confidence in the fact that He is the omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent God –all-seeing, all-knowing, all-powerful, ever-present in all of our circumstances, whether good or bad. We are never out of His care, no matter how difficult things may be.

Our Pastor made a great point this morning. He noted that, when things go wrong, we often go to God asking Him to “fix it.” We expect our comfort to come when our circumstances improve. However, we should instead take comfort in who God is and in the fact that He has chosen us to be His children. When things seem out of control, we need to center ourselves on that truth.

Think of the story in Matthew 14:25-31 where Peter walks on the water:

During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” He said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But, when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him.

Think about it. As long as Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, he was able to do the miraculous. He was able to walk on water. But, as soon as he looked around and saw his circumstances, he started to sink. I think many times, it’s that way for us, too. When we look at our circumstances, we can become overwhelmed. In the natural, things may simply look impossible. And, it’s hard to understand what’s happening. But, when we fix our eyes on Jesus, we’re able to see past the circumstances and remember that the one who created the universe holds us in the palm of His hand. We can rest in that confidence no matter what else is going on around us.

We sang one of my favorite songs this morning, and it ties right in with these thoughts. It’s based on Romans 8:28, and it’s a reminder that, no matter what’s going on in your life right now, God has everything under control. May the words encourage your heart as much as they have encouraged mine.