Keep the Faith

"Faith does not minimize difficulties but does magnify God."
-General Bramwell Tillsley
 
How is your faith? Be honest with yourself; sometimes, our faith in God and his will and plans for us are small, while other times, our faith is so overwhelming it bursts from us like a beam from a spotlight. I can attest to that. There have been times in which I didn't want to have faith in anything other than myself; faith in anything else didn’t seem feasible. That is the "I got this" mentality. This seems to happen when great difficulties arise, and we want to be able to control any given situation. In times like these, the last thing we want to do is let go and have faith in something else.

But there are the times of great faith where you know that everything is going to work out with no notion of the alternative. Times when your boldness can inspire others. Times when you know nothing can stand against you. This spectrum of faith is illustrated for us by one man in one biblical account.

Matthew 14:25-33 reads:

Shortly before dawn 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. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"
And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."

Peter embodies the spectrum of faith in this account. After we learn that all of the disciples were afraid, it is Peter who says "Tell me to come to you on the water."

Peter knew the power of the Lord. He knew that if Jesus said the word, anything was possible. He steps out of the boat and walks on water! His faith in Christ's word and his power over creation allowed him to do something only Jesus could do.

But then something happens. His faith is overwhelmed by the things surrounding him. After he sees the winds, fear strikes, overtaking his faith, and he begins to sink. How many are sinking in the world today, just like Peter whose fears consumed the place where faith once stood strong?

Jesus catches and saves Peter from drowning and then says to him, "Why did you doubt?"

This man who had enough faith to ask to walk on the water, enough to get out of the boat, and enough to start walking suddenly lost sight of what his faith could accomplish.

Friends, I don't want you to lose sight of what your faith can do. Don't let the things of this world deter or minimize your faith. Great things can be accomplished if we have the faith to continue moving forward. Don't focus on the winds of this world. Keep your eyes fixed on the glory of God and the sacrifice Jesus made for you. In Matthew 17:20, Jesus tells us that with faith the size of a mustard seed, you can move mountains. Imagine what you can do if you have and keep the faith it takes to get out of the boat.

Written by Bramwell Applin
Cadet, College for Officer Training