Don’t Allow Fear to Grab You

But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. (Matthew 14:24-27)

Take a moment to imagine yourself in the middle of this situation. You hear the sea roaring, feel the boat shaking, and everyone around you is in a panic. Sure, they've all seen bad weather before, but this time, the waves weren’t just rough. Scripture says they were contrary, meaning they were enemies of them.

By the way, the disciples caught in these waves weren’t novices. Most of them are trained, professional fishermen. They knew about storms and many stories of people dying in them. They probably knew some who had died. When the professionals are afraid in the storm, you know it’s serious. The Scripture also tells us where they were—right in the middle of the sea. This is the worst place to be in the middle of chaos. It would take too long to turn back, and they’re too exhausted to keep going forward. It’s in these middle places that faith is really tested.

However, they were there because Jesus had sent them. We mistakenly think that obeying God makes life easy. That’s not true. Sometimes, obedience puts you in opposition to the enemy. The disciples certainly felt this opposition. As Jesus walked toward them, their first reaction wasn’t faith that Jesus would arrive, but fear. They were more willing to believe a ghost was coming to kill them than that their Savior was walking on the waves. But that’s how fear works. It distorts reality. It makes God's truths look like threats. It makes God’s blessings seem like burdens too heavy to carry. Just as fear was trying to take them out entirely, Jesus spoke: “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.” He spoke into their hearts before their panic turned into paralysis.

Practical Application

When fear arises, remind yourself that God is present in that moment too. Respond quickly to His presence instead of the situation.

Matthew 17:7; John 6:20