Immediately Jesus reached out with His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”
What are some ways people have responded to you when you messed up? Maybe you got a lecture as a kid. Maybe you were guilted for what you did as a teen. Maybe you were bailed out without consequence. The question isn’t “if” we will mess up but when and what the consequences will be. When Peter took his eyes off Jesus and looked at the wildness of the wind and waves, he began to sink. A moment of massive faith was followed up with a moment of complete fear, but Jesus did not hold this over Peter with condemnation or bail him out with out consequence. He graciously saved Him, took hold of him, and invited him to deeper faith.
Even at our lowest, most shame-filled moment, our God steps toward us and reaches out, taking hold of us when we cry out to Him. Instead of letting us figure out things on our own, He rescues us and shows us the path forward. Jesus’s words to Peter after this great rescue were an invitation to assess what was going on in his heart. We don’t always like to try to figure out the reason we’ve doubted or sinned. But soul-searching is a key part of moving forward. We have to allow God to rescue us and then search our hearts and reveal where sin or doubt has hindered us from trusting Him fully. Wherever you have doubted, sinned, or messed up, Jesus’s response is the same to you today. He is ready to rescue you, take hold of you, and walk with you as He shows you the way forward.
- What was a moment of little faith you have faced? How did you handle that moment?
- Why have you struggled with doubt? Have you invited Christ to heal these parts of your faith? Explain.
- Pray and thank God for how He responds to us when we fall short.
