I was caught up in the laughter of joyful banter with my girlfriend and the soft fall breeze as I stepped into the road, when my senses were assaulted.
“Wait! Stop!” shouted the woman across the street.
Just milliseconds before, the traffic light had changed to green and my friend and I had proceeded to begin crossing the street, engrossed in conversation.
As the woman across the street yelled her warning to us, we stopped in a panic…right in the middle of the street…our feet frozen to the pavement neither across the street, nor safely back where we started, but rather, prime targets for the trucks turning across our path, honking their displeasure.
All of faith is about stepping into something that isn’t. The unknown.
Refocusing your trust on God
On the night the storm raged about him, Peter stepped out of the boat and onto the sea, and walked toward Jesus. Humanly speaking, it wasn’t safe. It wasn’t dry ground. It wasn’t a rational decision. But as long as he kept his eyes on Jesus, trusting him with every ounce of his being, it was do-able and it was the right thing.
As long as my friend and I kept our focus ahead and kept walking, we were relatively safe. It was the right thing. Yet the moment we listened to the input of others, yelling at us on our path to “stop,” we stood paralyzed in fear cemented to the pavement, becoming prey for all manner of danger.
Have you ever felt like Peter? Like Jesus was calling you out to walk on water? To trust Him completely? And while you did, you were fine…but when you looked down, you began to sink?
I’ve been there many times. And I’m thankful for the times that I begin to sink because they remind me to refocus my trust on Him. Keep my gaze upon Him.
Just like when I started to walk into the crosswalk without keeping my gaze in the right spot and could have been seriously hurt, so too can I get hurt when I take my eyes off trusting God.
Trusting God wholeheartedly
One of my favorite songs is Oceans by Hillsong.
That song so perfectly depicts how God often calls us out to places that don’t make sense, that without Him would leave us drowning, and that require our wholehearted trust in Him.
It is in those times that we must call out to Him, keeping our eyes on Him rather than on our circumstances. Trusting what we know to be true despite what we see in the natural.
We are never guaranteed our tomorrow, but we are guaranteed that with each tomorrow, as we walk into the unknown, He will go with us, guide us and protect us. Our job is to trust Him.
What kind of unknowns are you walking in today that are requiring you to trust Him?
(If you have a question you’d like Dr. B to answer, contact her here now. Your name and identity will be kept confidential.)
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There is hope.
Hope Prevails: Insights From a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression and the companion Hope Prevails Bible Study help the reader understand how depression comes to be, recover their joy, reclaim their peace, and re-establish their true identity, while knowing their worth, remembering their secure destiny, and being confident that nothing separates them from God’s love.
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Founder, Liberty in Christ Ministries
I am praying for you Michelle! <3 Love you sweet sister! <3
Thank you Rachelle!! <3
This post is perfect for me as Peter stepping out of the boat is exactly who I am right now. There is a lot of unknowns for me but it is okay because I know that when I take that step, Jesus is right there to catch me if I falter. Thank you for words that speak directly into my heart today. Love you!
Mary, the best things and most rewarding times in life are when we take that first step in faith out on the water. The results are then up to Him, but they will be better than what we will ask or imagine! #TrustPrevails. Praying for you my friend. Boldly step out!
Lovely post! Thank you, neighbor! Blessings to you!
great post michelle. continuing to pray for you as you trust GOD this week.
Thank you on both accounts Martha!!
Thank you Michelle! We are walking into a couple of unknowns at the moment and have a decision to make in the next couple of weeks and this is a fantastic reminder to keep our eyes fixed upon Jesus — He is already where we are going! #Titus2sDay 🙂
Sarah, God specializes in those areas that are unknown to us. He knows all. Trust Him. You will not be disappointed! #TrustPrevails!
Beautiful post! Trusting is my OneWord365 this year…but actually it’s been my word my whole life…many blessings to you ❤️
Beth, I’d love to sit down over coffee with you and hear what you’ve learned through your experience with trust being your word of the year! I’m sure you’d have a lot to share. #TrustPrevails
What a beautiful post! We need to trust Him always!
Thanks for sharing on the Shine Blog Hop!
I’m not a Christian but this post applies in that I get shy when approaching new things. I’m in Belize right now on vacation but I was still nervous before the trip about heading to an unknown place. But that won’t keep me from going places! #smallvictories
Oh yes, in 1992 the Lord called us together, my hubby and I, out for full time ministry. We had no idea how it would happen because my hubby was only 47 and worked a full time job and our last child graduated the year before and we thought he would stay until retirement with his company but we both said, YES LORD!! YOU work out the details, we are ready to go. AND HE DID! 6 months later my hubby’s company came out with a retirement program and he fit perfectly in the requirements. He retired one day and we began our full time ministry work the next day. In the course of several years the only thing that didn’t change was our address. We also experienced healing miracles and ministry changes, overseas ministry and a traveling ministry. Oh my, surrendering our lives to the Lord has been an amazing journey. AND it is not over yet. Thank you Dr. Michelle! We stepped into an unknown with a KNOWN God and it is magnificent!