Water-Walking FaithSample

WATER-WALKERS FOCUS

The world we live in today is full of noise. Opinions fly around recklessly on social media. News and media outlets mass-produce biased stories that broadcast live around the world in a constant stream of content. Whether it’s the music industry, entertainment, the education system, or even our own families, we are constantly bombarded with an overload of information.

Humanity has grown accustomed to consuming copious amounts of content on a daily basis. With a touch of a button or a swipe of a screen we can hear new songs, read new books, listen to new podcasts, watch new shows, and follow new influencers at any given moment. We have been tuned to consume content and multi-task at high levels whether in our professional or personal lives. Technology has unquestionably changed the world, but it has also made it ‘louder’.

So, in a world that is constantly fighting for your attention, what has your focus?

It’s very hard in the information age to stay focused on anything, let alone God. However, the story of Peter highlights the importance of focus in our lives. The bible says that Peter got down out of the boat, walked on water, and came toward Jesus. But as soon as he SAW the wind, he became afraid and began to sink.

Hang on a second. I thought that Peter began to sink because of little faith? Yes, that’s true and we will pick up on that in verse 31. But it’s important to understand that OUR LACK OF FOCUS LEADS TO LITTLE FAITH. The moment his eyes wandered away from Jesus and onto the waves was the moment he began to sink. In the same way, the moment our eyes begin to wander away from Jesus and onto our problems, away from Jesus and onto our frustrations, away from Jesus and onto our disappointments – that is the moment we begin to sink.

The truth is whatever has your FOCUS has your FAITH. When our focus is Jesus, then our faith becomes solid. It becomes unchanging, it becomes strong, and it becomes immovable. Because that is who Jesus is. But when our focus is the wind, our faith becomes fleeting. There one moment, gone the next. Because that is exactly what wind is.

Not only does this story highlight the importance of focus, but it also highlights the power of distraction. Peter had a clear calling, he was on a clear path, and was moving in a clear direction yet the moment that everything changes, was the moment that he shifted his eyes from his Savior to the storm.

If we are honest with ourselves, like Peter, we too can be so easily distracted. We can get so focused on our work, our careers, our promotions, and our salaries. We can get excessively caught up with our emotional state, our physical bodies, and our mental health. We can become overly anxious about our relationships, our marriages, our singleness, or even our family dynamics. Although all these things (amongst many other things) are important and have a place in our life, they should never be the things that distract us from our primary goal, our overriding objective, and our first focus – JESUS.

My 4-year-old son Zion is a picture of ‘distraction’ at the best of times. Have you ever tried to get a child’s attention in the middle of them watching their favourite TV show or playing a video game? It starts off with multiple verbal attempts of getting their attention. Before you know it, you have grabbed the remote, turned the TV off, and you’re sitting right in front of them to physically block any view of the screen just to get a little eye contact. THEN – they have the nerve to peer over your shoulder just to check the blank screen you just switched off. This picture of distraction is a picture of believers today. Jesus is right in front of you. He is speaking to you. He is trying to get your attention. But we are too distracted with our own lives, our own plans, our own goals, and our own agendas - that we can’t see Him. So lost in our own feelings and our own thoughts to take a moment to hear from Him. So distracted with the challenges of life and the desires of our own heart to notice Him.

The truth is GOD DOESN’T WANT YOUR STUFF. HE WANTS YOU.

Hebrews 12 reminds us that as followers of Jesus we are to fix our eyes on Him. Not peer over when its suitable. Not to glance when we have the chance. But to FIX our eyes on Him. Not looking to the left or the right, but to have our full focus on Jesus. But this can only be achieved when we find a way to turn the volume down on the world and turn the volume up on His voice.

I have found in my own life that ‘walking on water’ (or stepping out in faith) is less about WHAT you’re standing on, and more about WHO you are looking to. Our destiny may be found ‘on’ the water, but really it is found ‘IN’ Jesus. He is the one who holds our future, and as we keep our eyes fixed on Him, He leads us through unknown waters.

I want to encourage someone today who is in the middle of the battle to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. In the middle of the sickness to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. In the middle of the trial, to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. In the middle of the relationship breakdown, to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. WHATEVER you are in the middle of today, keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.

QUESTIONS:

1.Write a list of the top 10 things you spend the most time on in your life. Write another list of the top 10 priorities in your life. Compare your lists. Do you invest time into the things you value, or are there some changes or adjustments you need to make in your life?

2.Are there things in your life that have become distractions or higher priorities than God in your life? What can you do to change them?