“But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord, save me.’”

Matthew 14:30

Gravity is a powerful, yet invisible force that affects us everyday. If you’ve ever leaned over the side of a mountain during a hike or the guardrail on a high bridge to look down, you know how heavy gravity can feel. In that moment when you look down, it feels as though you’re being pushed into the depths below you. This world is full of tragedies and trials that often exert this same force on our faith and focus.

Peter experiences this in Matthew 14:22-33. One night, the disciples were traveling by boat, and they found themselves being “beaten by the waves” because “the wind was against them,” (v.24). As Jesus walks out to them on the water, the disciples’ initial response is fear. But after Christ identifies Himself, Peter says, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water,” (v28). Then, Peter puts His faith into action. He “got out of the boat and walked on the water, and came to Jesus,” (v29).

Notice the first few words of the next verse: “But when he saw the wind…” (v30). Winds at sea can be strong, unpredictable, and intimidating. The wind captured Peter’s attention for just a moment, but one moment was all it took. Immediately, he was afraid and began to sink. Peter, in looking at the storm, was pulled down by the weight of his fear. A single moment of focus on the storm around him distracted Peter from the fact that he was WALKING ON WATER. Through God’s power, Peter was defying gravity!

So, what happened? The storm was there before Christ arrived. Peter clearly had faith, or he wouldn’t have asked Jesus to bring him onto the water in the middle of a storm. What happened to Peter is exactly what happens to us as fellow humans. We are constantly bombarded with life’s storms, and as a result, we forget that God wants to carry us through them. We get so bogged down with the hurt, loss, and evil in the world that we lose sight of the good God will do through us if we keep our eyes on Him instead of these dark forces. Often, we do even begin to sink like Peter. Thankfully, our Savior walks with us and takes our hand when we cry to Him for help (v. 30-31). In this world, there will always be storms, but we only start sinking when we take our eyes off of the Savior. Even in the middle of the fiercest wind, God will do remarkable things through us if we focus on Him. So, don’t look down. Don’t look at the storm. With your eyes constantly on Jesus, nothing can keep you down.