Distraction: The Enemy of DirectionSample

Purpose requires progress, while fear freezes those who participate in it. This second distraction may seem overwhelmingly large, but once you take action, you’ll see how hard it falls.

Distraction #2: What Scares Us

In Matthew 14, we read the story of Peter walking towards Jesus on the water.

In my opinion, it’s one of the most beautiful and heartbreaking examples of distraction.

Peter challenged his own faith, by asking Jesus to call him onto the water. Peter took a couple of steps, but then began to sink.

Why?

Because Peter stopped paying attention to Jesus. He was paying attention to the “how” of his calling, when he should have been paying attention to the “who.” Although Peter had faith, and had witnessed Jesus perform miracles with his own eyes, once Peter realized that he was walking on the water, he panicked. Peter looked at the waves, and once the fear had overtaken his faith, he sank into the water.

When we take our eyes off the One who calls, we let fear sink our progress. We look at our surroundings, and we allow our mind to tell us that we shouldn’t be where we’re at. We shouldn’t take a leap of faith. We begin to unravel our own chances, and we tear down the very plans that we were following. Like an acrobat walking a tight rope, we take a peek, realize how high up we are, and we get dizzy.

Peter could have walked to Jesus. He could have met Him out there among the waves, but the fear of what could happen overwhelmed Peter. For a moment, Peter’s faith wavered, and that moment was all it took for Peter to fall.

This story provides a lesson for us:

Whether we’re trying to walk on water or simply trying to keep it together, we cannot allow the voice of fear and uncertainty to distract us from taking the next step in faith.

Take a step off of the boat.

It’s time.