Another key mistake God’s people make is taking their eyes off Jesus.
The farther Jesus is out of your mind and life, the greater chance of problems in your life – spiritual problems, falling into sin, making bad choices, etc. Stay focused on Jesus so you don’t sink in life.
25 Around three in the morning, He (Jesus) came toward them walking on the sea. 26 When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” they said, and cried out in fear. 27 Immediately Jesus spoke to them. “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 28 “Lord, if it’s You,” Peter answered Him, “command me to come to You on the water.” 29 “Come!” He said. And climbing out of the boat, Peter started walking on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid. And beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out His hand, caught hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Mt 14:25-30 – parenthetical added)
Peter climbed out of the boat in faith and started walking on the water in terrible conditions by trusting in the Lord Jesus and focusing on Him. The ferocity of the waves battering the boat (Mt 14:24) didn’t matter to Peter. He got out and started walking toward Jesus with his focus on Him. He was doing great until he turned his attention off Jesus and onto the turmoil of the scene around him … then he sank.
Learn from Peter and stay focused on Jesus
I can say that almost every time I find myself ‘sinking’ spiritually, falling into sinful patterns, or feeling distant from God it is because I’ve allowed the Lord to slip farther and farther out of focus in my life. Even though I am still reading Bible every day and praying, it is not the same. I am not doing it in faith with a real focus on God. I am just going through the motions and not really engaging God in spirit and truth.
Stay focused on and close to Jesus so that you are not overwhelmed by the problems around you and sink.
As you lose focus on Jesus you will lose joy, peace, and perspective. You become confused, afraid, overwhelmed, and feel off. You are also an easy target for the devil, the world, and your sin nature.
As you walk through life don’t allow the turmoil of life around you to take your focus off Jesus. Don’t let busyness turn your attention from the Lord, or people problems, the craziness in the world, health problems, family problems, worry, work, stress, or anything blowing around and battering you. Stay focused on Jesus so you don’t become overwhelmed and sink.
Stay focused on Jesus. Remember this scene of Peter on the lake staying focused on the Lord and walking above and through the turmoil around him … not bothered and not even noticing it. Do the same! Stay focused on Him to walk above the problems of life around you.
… Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, 2 keeping our eyes on Jesus … (Heb 12:1-2)
25 Let your eyes look directly ahead And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. 26 Watch the path of your feet And all your ways will be established. 27 Do not turn to the right nor to the left; Turn your foot from evil. (Proverbs 4:25-27 – NASB)
So if you have been raised with the Messiah, seek what is above, where the Messiah is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on what is above, not on what is on the earth. (Col 3:1-2)
Think about it
How do you do at handling life when you are truly focused on Jesus?
What happens when you lose your focus on Jesus?
Where was Peter’s focus when he was doing the impossible thing of walking on water?
Where did Peter turn his attention and what happened to him then?
What happens to you when you turn your attention from Jesus onto the problems of life around you?
What did Peter do as soon as he started to sink?
Turn to Jesus right away when you become overwhelmed by life.
How can you stay focused on Jesus even when you are going through a tough time?
BIBLE DEVOTIONS FOR LIVING 