If You Want to Walk on Water,You Have to Take It One Step at a Time
“I can’t do this. I’m scared.”
My daughter stared down the long corridor of the high school with mixed emotion. Part of her eyed it with apprehension, unsure of her wobbly gait because of her newly fractured ankle. Part of her looked on with great excitement, knowing that just around the corner she will be able to watch her favorite performers dance and sing on the auditorium stage. Despite her fear, she decided to take the risk. She placed her stainless steel crutches in front of her and hobbled her way down the long hallway. About halfway, however, she lost her balance and almost fell over. I caught her and helped her regain her footing. As she hopped, I kept repeating to her one sentence to help her gain confidence with each step:
“Don’t worry about what’s ahead; just focus on taking it one step at a time.”
It’s the same in our Christian walk. It becomes so easy to worry about the future and what’s ahead that we become more hesitant to step out of our comfort zones and trust God to be faithful in the present moment.
Peter had that problem, too. He was great at stepping out of his comfort zone, but forgot to keep his focus on the task in front of him. Matthew 14:29-30 says, “Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” If Peter had only focused on taking one step at a time, he probably could have made it. But it was only when he focused on the extenuating circumstances that his faith began to waver.
Do you focus more on what’s ahead rather than what’s right in front of you? Here are some action steps to help fix your eyes in the proper place:
Pray- it’s amazing how much a change in focus can shift our perspective. When we ask God to demonstrate His faithfulness to us, we feel we are not alone. This gives us the confidence to step out in total abandon to Jesus.
Take a Risk- The people highlighted in the bible made their mistakes, but were also tremendously blessed when they do unorthodox things in obedience to the Father. In the same way, we are most blessed when we take a risk to further the gospel message.
Change Your Perspective- When we are faced with a daunting task, break it down into manageable chunks. Set achievable goals and work hard to meet them. Celebrate when you meet a goal; don’t beat yourself up when you don’t. It’ll help boost your confidence in your abilities and motivate you to keep persevering until the end.
We are all faced with difficult decisions. But when we focus on taking one step at a time and willingly step out in faith, we may just be able to walk on water.
Michelle S. Lazurek is a pastor’s wife, a mother, an author, and a speaker. She is a contributing writer for Movieguide Magazine and has been published on Charisma Magazine’s website www.charismanews.com. Her e-book Everything I Learned About Writing I Learned From Rocky Balboa: Six Ways To Keep Fighting Without Throwing in the Towel made Amazon’s best seller list in its category. She holds a Master’s in Counseling from Liberty University. You can visit her at www.michellelazurek.com .