WRITTEN BY DR. JIM GRASSI
Have you ever missed your turn, been nearly sideswiped when starting to change lanes, or accidentally hit the curb? Focus and concentration are an important part of any journey, especially on our spiritual journey and especially when things get dicey. Where we look and what holds our attention during tough times shapes our perspective. Jesus used an incident in the lives of His disciples to help them remember where they needed to fix their gaze.
After miraculously feeding five thousand people, Jesus retreated to pray alone, and the disciples left in their boat as He had instructed. The sea was a routine fishing ground, but they found themselves struggling in the grip of a fierce storm. After rowing against the wind and waves all night, they were far from shore just before dawn (Matthew 14:22-25).
The chill and dampness crept in during those wee hours, the time when imaginations and fears wander. Scared and disappointed, surely, they were still considering the call that Christ had made on their lives a few months earlier, to follow Him and become fishers of men, and still sorting through what it meant to be a disciple (Matthew 4:19). How did they get into this situation? Would they survive?
As their fear peeked, the disciples spotted a figure walking on the sea. Thinking it was a ghost, some phantom spirit, they were terrified and cried out (Matthew 14:25-26).
“But Jesus immediately said to them: ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid’” (Matthew 14:27).
Peter, so impressed with this miracle and impulsively direct – like many of us – called out, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” He wanted to be like Jesus and walk on water! Jesus told him to come, so Peter, fixing his gaze on the Lord, stepped out of the boat onto the water and walked straight toward Jesus! Then, he took his eyes off the Master – and sank. The moment his gaze shifted to the wind and waves, he became fearful. He quickly called out for help, and the Lord was just as quick in His response, immediately snatching Peter out of the water (Matthew 14:28-31). In His love and faithfulness, Jesus was there for Peter, just as He is always there for us (Psalm 57:3).
How many times do we lose focus, allowing our concentration to shift from Jesus to the concerns around us? Fear can easily take hold of us if we don’t fix our gaze on Christ, especially in the midst of danger or trials. The disciples allowed their imaginations to run wild, and they became overcome with fear. When faced with sudden challenges or even change, the same thing can happen to us. When we remember who He is and we see life’s challenges as opportunities to trust God, we can focus on God’s faithfulness rather than the problem.
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 12:1-2
Personal Application: Where are you on your journey today and what are you focused on? How can your challenges become opportunities to grow in your faith? Take some time to talk to God right now. Give Him your concerns, fears, and burdens, so you can focus on trusting Jesus.
- Taken in part from More Than a Fisherman: Making Disciples Who Make Disciples by Jim Grassi, D. Min.
Jim Grassi, D. Min.
We cherish any verse in Scripture that reminds us to keep focused and intentional about evangelism and discipleship. “But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:5