Finding My Way Home: A Journey to Discover Hope and a Life of PurposeNäide

Step Out in Faith

I find the timeline of events in this passage interesting. It begins with Jesus addressing the disciples and ends with a one-on-one interaction between Jesus and Peter. Jesus addressed fear in all of them, but Peter was the only one who wanted to step out of the boat. Jesus responded to Peter’s willingness. The story ends with Peter taking his eyes off Jesus and sinking into the water. And, of course, Jesus is quick to the rescue.

God has the same mandate for all of us: don’t fear. No matter what is ahead of you today, He is with you.

What happens next is up to us. Are we content to stay in the boat? Or do we dare step out?

God will lead us forward. While His character never changes, He is continually on the move. He wants us to “follow Him” (mentioned thirteen times in the Gospels) and “go and make disciples.” (Matt. 28:19) Both of these commands involve movement.

So, I have two questions for you:

1. Are you willing to step out of the boat?

Make sure you’re spending enough time with God so you can be aware of His plans and

you can respond courageously.

1. Are you willing to help others step out of their boats?

Love your people well but hold them loosely. We should continually be growing the

people around us so they can respond to God’s calling.

We can trust God with our hearts, relationships, plan, and future. We hear God’s voice, we follow God’s voice, and we step out in faith believing God’s voice.

If you’ve enjoyed this devotional, I invite you to read my journey to discovering hope and a life of purpose in my book, Finding My Way Home. This is the story of how God is teaching me -- how He has been teaching me all my life by bringing loving, generous, and forgiving people to me and by revealing Himself through His Word. I tell my story with the hope that you might experience God’s infinite love for you and, like me, find your way home.