I like challenges. That is probably my makeup and predisposition. I know folks who prefer status quo and have things flow smoothly for them… but where is the fun in all of that?
Throughout the Scriptures, we read about faith and the people who lived, breathed and ate faith for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Yet, when the time actually comes for us to step into that realm, we shun away from it. No surprises as to why – as creatures desiring certainty and comfort, the flight to safety syndrome makes it easier for us to default to a zone where we go with the tide rather than against it. When we do so, we fail to see possibilities beyond the confines of the boat or vessel we are in.
If there is one person in Scripture who displayed faith with boldness and audacity, that would be Peter. I could pick out a whole list of others from the book of Hebrews, but Peter is an interesting one to look at. Out of the 12 disciples on the boat when there was a storm and Jesus was walking on the water, he was the only one who dared to step out.
In particular, I like what he said just before he went ahead with his “plan” – ‘Jesus if it is You, call me out onto the waters.’ The amount of certainty that Peter had with Jesus was to the point where anything harbouring on crazy impossible was not that impossible any more. To me, that was the closest thing after the centurion’s faith. Let’s get this, the centurion was getting something done on behalf of someone else (his servant) and only needed Jesus to speak the word. But here was someone putting his life on the line in the middle of a storm - Peter was a fisherman and he knew he would not be able to deal with waves even with his years of experience.
I can only surmise that the wonder that Peter marvelled on in seeing Jesus walk on water that night emboldened him. It stirred something deep within his spirit for the impossible and he wanted in on the action. None of the other 11 moved an inch although a few of them were also fishermen themselves. And this is what will separate the passive spectators from faith-actors – the appetite for the impossible.
Are we satisfied with what we are experiencing that the current level is merely “good enough”? Have we boxed God in as to how He should be moving in our midst when it comes to things pertaining to faith? How far are we willing to allow Him to work on our faith perspective and challenge us for greater things to come?