²⁸ Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”

²⁹ “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water towards Jesus.

³⁰ But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.

³¹ Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”

Matthew 14:28-31 [NLT]

For this morning’s daily devotion, I wanted to focus on a rather familiar passage/story from the Bible. I think this is one that many Christians and believers will know about. It’s about the story of how Peter (for a mere moment in his life) was able to walk on water after exiting the boat. For just a moment, he did that because Jesus said, “Yes, come. You can do it. Come towards me.”

Well, clearly I am paraphrasing here, but you get the idea. But then something happened, Peter began remembering about the storm that was raging all around him. In that very instant, his doubt began to set in and he then started to fall into the water, drowning.

Even though I started this whole “My Daily Bread” devotion back in 2018, I actually never once thought about what this passage was really trying to tell me. At least not until now.

As I was looking at the Study Notes on the side, I began to realize that the storm that Peter was experiencing that night out there on the seas, is a reference to the kinds of storms that we are currently facing in our own lives right now. In many ways, they remind me of the challenges and difficulties that I’m currently facing in my own life. Even with my faith and belief in Jesus, sometimes, my anxiety and worries still get a hold of me and then, my doubt will start to sip in. The very same way that Peter realized he was walking on water in the middle of a storm.

Don’t Take Your Eyes Off Jesus

In some ways, I feel like this passage today is here to remind me (and us) to constantly keep our eyes on Jesus, especially when we are walking through our very own storms in life. Trust me, I know that it is easier said than done. It’s something that I’ll need to work on every single day.

In my very own interpretation, I believe that not taking my eyes off Jesus also means staying really focused on my current daily devotions, praying every morning, looking to God for His guidance and wisdom. Just think of it like following Jesus as a daily role model. By keeping our eyes on Him and following in His example.

Relying Upon the Grace of God

That leads me to 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. When it comes to facing great personal struggles, there’s no one that knows it better than Paul. In this passage, the Bible/Paul was referring to his physical ailment. And every time he tried to ask God to heal him/take it from him, God wouldn’t do it. I can most certainly empathize with what Paul might be feeling. But I am also now aware that God always has a plan, even if we might not be able to understand it fully.

As I read the Study Notes in detail, I began to find myself relating to everything that Paul might be experiencing (not to compare in terms of the scale of the struggle). In many ways, as someone that also struggles with my own mental health disorder (more specifically, anxiety disorder), I know what it is like to want something taken away. To never have to struggle with it for another day. Some days, it can be very disruptive to my daily living too. I’ve had this anxiety disorder since I was a child, and from my past experiences, I don’t think that my anxiety disorder will disappear or go away entirely, any time soon. Just like Paul, I think that maybe God is allowing it to be a part of my life so that through my own weaknesses and struggles, others may be able to see His strength and grace reflected in my life.

The things that I have highlighted within the study notes is also very on point. Especially the part about being able to empathize with others, and also having more compassion towards others because I know what it is like to struggle with something every single day. Just because it’s not something physical, or outwardly obvious doesn’t make it any less intense. Trust me, it can get quite intense on some days, you just don’t get to witness it, or read about it.

So this brings me back to my reflection for today. It is a reminder that especially during these times right now, I need to rely even more on His grace and strength. I know that I cannot do it on my own, not during the better times in my life, and most certainly not right now. Right now, every single day feels like a struggle. Even if I’m still trying to pretend in front of others.

Hey, I would love more than anything to stop pretending right now. I would love to be totally honest, frank and authentic with every person that I’m interacting with. But let’s face reality, there are so many people online who don’t react/respond positively to who I am. So, I have no choice but to pretend (or hide parts of myself from the rest of the world). But there are a small, tiny group of people that will get to know the real me, and those are my dedicated, loyal readers/subscribers on WordPress. Only they get access to some of the most authentic and genuine journal entries that I’ve been writing. To them, I can always just be me.

Personal Prayer for Today

Dear Father,

I come before You today, fully humbled by everything that I am currently facing today. Much like the storms that Peter is surrounded by as he tried to walk on water towards Jesus. In so many ways, you have reminded that our lives can be a lot like his, and it is during these moments in our lives that we cannot take our eyes off Jesus.

That means staying committed to our faith in You, reading the Bible every single day, praying and giving thanks for all the good things that You have done for us. And most importantly, learning to live a life with Jesus as our prime example.

I am also grateful that You have reminded me of Paul’s struggle. While our struggles may not be the same, it has been mostly relatable because of my own daily struggles with my anxiety disorder.

I’ll admit that there are days when the struggles become so intense that it becomes really hard to see anything positive about this situation. And like with Paul’s situation, You have helped me to see that maybe, this struggle is also a part of Your plan for my life.

That in/through my struggles with a mental health disorder, others may be able to witness and see Your grace and strength working through me and in me. That is certainly my hope.

At the very same time, maybe it isn’t such a bad thing. This personal struggle that I’ve been working so hard to overcome on a daily basis, is also here as a reminder that I can’t do it on my own. Not when the times are better, and most certainly not right now when there is a storm raging all around me.

Today, I’m making a choice to keep my eyes on Jesus. I will follow Him in everything that I do. And as I do that, I can only hope and pray that by Your grace and Your grace alone, You will help me to overcome all of the other challenges and obstacles that are currently in my life.

I vow to give You all the praises. In Jesus’ mighty name I pray.

Amen.