I came across the story of Peter today—when he jumped out of a boat and into a stormy sea at a Word from Jesus. He didn’t think about how mind-blowing it was that Jesus was already walking across the water, just bailed on out with Him.

On the water. In the middle of a storm. Like it was a perfectly normal request. Peter was on fire for Jesus.

And then he realized what he’d done. He noticed how high the waves were around him. The logical part of his brain took over and told him, “You shouldn’t be on the water. You’ll sink. What were you thinking?”

Then he sunk.

I’ve read that account for most of my life, and I’ve always had one question: Why couldn’t Peter just keep his eyes on Jesus? He’d seen Jesus heal countless people from horrible diseases and demons—had even seen Jesus speak the waves into submission during another storm.

Yet Peter lost focus.

Maturity brings more clarity, and I can understand how Peter lost focus because I can see myself in him. Wave walking comes easily when my eyes are on Jesus, but there’s so much to catch my attention. So much that grows bigger the longer I look at it. And before I know it, I’ve sunk.

Peter noticed immediately he was sinking; I don’t usually notice until I can’t breathe. Even still, I’m never too deep that Jesus can’t grab my hand.

I love that imagery—reaching out to Jesus in my desperation and fear, but for us here and now, ours is a more spiritual hand than physical.

That’s not to say there aren’t a few physical things we can do to reach out.

Tips for Getting the Fire Back

#1 – Pray, pray, pray

Talk to Him. Be honest.

And if you’re having trouble getting the words out or remembering to pray, try:

• Using an app like PrayerMate, which has templates to get you started and reminders you can set.
• Using the biggest resource most everyone has—your smartphone. Set reminders to pray throughout your day.
• Journaling your thoughts. Sometimes I can articulate my thoughts easier by writing them out. Dear Diary meets prayer.

#2 – Interact with the Word

If you’re like me, you faithfully read the Bible each day even during a dry spell. I’ve found that interacting with it even more can really help me.

• Highlight what jumps out at you.
• Write notes beside what you’re reading.
• Study the passages that have comforted you in the past with the amazing resources we have now with sites like Bible Hub and Bible Study Tools.

#3 – Reflect

Work on figuring out why you feel the way you do. I’ve amazed myself many times with the clarity that comes by just writing it out. As I mentioned before, journaling can really help with that. Here are a few prompts to start:

• What’s distracting me? Worries, abilities, interests…?
• What sin issue do I need to address?
• Describe the day you accepted Christ as Savior. How did you come to the decision and how did you feel afterward?
• Describe how it felt when you realized what God wanted you to do with your life.

#4 – Help someone

Focus on the ones around you and how you might be able to help. Sometimes we find our own revelations or reminders in helping someone else.

If you’ve been a Christian long at all, I’m sure you’ve heard this story of Peter. And you’ve probably heard it in the same application I’ve used, but sometimes we don’t have to be profound. Sometimes it’s the simple that speaks to the heart.

I pray that’s what happens for us today as we remember that next time we question our sanity for walking the waves. We’re here because Jesus has called us.

It’s really that simple.

What do you do when you realize you’ve sunk? Let me know in the comments. I can’t wait to hear from you!

Resources

• How to Ignite a Fire in Your Soul from Crosswalk
• Keeping the Faith: Simple Reminders for When You’re Not Feeling It from HISsparrowBlog
• Words to Live By: My All-Time Favorite Verses from HISsparrowBlog
• 20 Funk-Bustin’ Songs for Your Bad Day from HISsparrowBlog

I frequently link up with the following: Grace & Truth with Embracing the Unexpected, Tell His Story with Jeanne Takenaka, and Let’s Have Coffee with Joanne Viola.