Freshman year -- I remember it like it was yesterday. I was the new girl in youth group, small freshie! Looked at all the Juniors and Seniors in terror. I was uncomfortable. It was new and something I wasn’t used to. I didn’t make any friends right away. I had lost my best friend that summer before in a big fight. I felt alone. Hurt. Like no one cared. I had been saved for about 6 months by time I was a freshmen. So I was fairly new to the whole “Jesus” thing. I wouldn’t say I was walking with Him. I was just learning. Not really taking the time to get to know Him. I had a lot of anxiety for the coming year. High school work is more stressful. College to worry about. I was overwhelmed. Afraid.
Now as I look back on all this I experienced. It often reminds me of the story in Matthew, chapter 14. When Jesus had just finished feeding the 5,000. He made His disciples get into a boat and go to the other side across the sea. And by the evening there was a bad storm. The boat was in the middle of the sea just being tossed and thrown by the waves and wind. But then, we see in the scripture, Jesus, went to them walking on water! How crazy is that? The disciples had no idea what they were seeing, they were scared! So they cried out in fear.
So just like them, I was in the middle of a storm. Being tossed and thrown by all my doubt and fear. When I saw Jesus from a distance. I didn’t know what He looked like. Because I didn’t know Him. My fear and worry was making me unable to see.
So now we look further into scripture. He gets closer to them. And we see Jesus say to the disciples “Be of good cheer! It is I: do not be afraid.” And so Peter saw Him. Walking on water. Peter answered Jesus and said, “Lord if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So Jesus spoke, and said come. And I just love this part of scripture!! Peter came out of the boat. He walked on water to go to Jesus. The only way he was able to walk was because his eyes were on Jesus. But now, Peter took his eyes OFF Jesus and He saw that the sea was being thrown and tore by the wind. He looked around. He became afraid again. He began to sink and he cried out. “Lord, Save me!” And so immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught Him, and He says “O you of little faith. Why did you doubt?”
We often let doubt and fear fill our head. Because we look around to this world. Where nothing is clear. You have so many people telling you how to do this. How to live this way. What college you have to go to in order to be successful. How to dress. How to act. All this nonsense. And we begin to sink. Like Peter did. Why? Because we let the fear get in the way. We let doubt get in the way. We slowly start to become blind. Our vision of Jesus begins to blur. And we start to see the things around Jesus. I was looking at everything around Jesus. I was caught in the storm. But one day I finally let out a huge cry and said, Jesus. Save me. And He did exactly that. He reached out His Hand, and took me out of the storm. Freed me from drowning in my self doubt and fear. I saw JESUS. And as it says in verse 33
-- Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You ARE the Son of God.” I praised my Jesus. I had Joy. I had joy knowing He loved me. And cared about me. Wanted to guide me. Give me clarity. Direction. And strength! He is all powerful!
So sisters, are you in the same boat I was in? unsure? Worried? Scared? Doubtful? Afraid? Lonely? In a ranging storm in the middle of the world, looking around. How are you getting through it? Trying to conform to what the world wants to make you? Getting tossed around by gossip. Thrown around by society. Where all you're finding is confusion and misunderstandings. Or are you looking to the One who’s reaching out His hand, waiting for you to take hold, and say, Jesus. Save me!
Ladies, clear your vision. Grab hold of His strong and mighty hand. And let Him take you through this journey. Where He will bring understanding. Guidance. Love. Strength. And Happiness. He wants you. He wants to become your life. Not just part of it! Let him walk into your heart. Run to Him. He has open arms! He wants to rescue you. He wants to relentlessly pursue you. WORK in you. Are you ready to let him? Is your heart open? And willing? He will satisfy every need. And make your path straight.
Here is some scripture that got me through..
Matthew 6:25-34 -
25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Isaiah 41:10
10 Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
Matthew 14:22-33
22 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. 23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. 24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.
27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”
28 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”
29 So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
33 Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”
Psalm 62:5-8
5 My soul, wait silently for God alone,
For my expectation is from Him.
6 He only is my rock and my salvation;
He is my defense;
I shall not be moved.
7 In God is my salvation and my glory;
The rock of my strength,
And my refuge, is in God.
8 Trust in Him at all times, you people;
Pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us.
Proverbs 3:5
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
Love you Girls!
Love in HIM!
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