He Fought Against Fear and Doubt - "Why Did You Give Way to Doubt" -Conclusion

 Peter needed to keep his focus on Jesus.  It was Jesus, using the power of Jehovah, who was keeping Peter above the wind-swept waves.  And Jesus was doing so in response to Peter's faith in him.  But Peter got distracted. We read: "Looking at the windstorm , he got afraid."  Peter took in  eyeful of those waves crashing against the boat, tossing spray and foam to the wind, and he panicked. He probable imagined himself sinking in that lake, drowning there.  As fear rose in his heart, his faith shrank.  The man who had been named Rock because hios his  potential for steadiness  began to sink like  a stone because of his wavering faith.  Peter was an able swimmer, but he did not rely on that ability now.  He cried out: "Lord, save me!" Jesus caught him by the hand and pulled him up.  The, while still on the water's surface, he drove home this important lesson to Peter: "You, with little faith, why did you give way to doubt?" - MATTHEW 14:30, 31. 

"Give way to doubt"-what an apt phrase!  Doubt can be a powerful, destructive force. If we yield to yit, it can away at our faith and cause us to sink spiritually.  We need to fight back vigorously! How? By keeping the right focus. If we dwell on what scares us, what discouragesus, what distracts us from Jehovah and his Son, we will find our dubts growing. If we focus on Jehovah and his Son, on what they have done, are doing, and will do for those who love them, we will keep corrosive doubts at bay. 

As Peter followed Jesus up to the boat, he saw the storm died down.  Quiet fell on the Sea of Galilee.  Peter joined his fellow disciples in declaring: "You are really God's Son."  (Matthew 14:33) As dawn broke ove the lake, Peter's heart must have soared. He repudiated doubt and fear. Granted, he had a long way to go before he became the rocklike Christian that Jesus foresaw. But he was determined to keep trying, to keep growing. Do you have such determination? You will find that Peter's faith is worth imitating.

Next time: He Was Loyal in the Face of Tests

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