Impulsiveness vs. Faith

Matthew 14:28-32

Oh, impulsive Peter. The leader in so many outstanding ways, yet in others, so extremely impulsive, choosing not to look before he leaps. However, isn’t that the reality of the Christian life? We are not able to do this perfectly and quite honestly Jesus is quite ok with that, I suspect. Peter was not putting Jesus to the test. Instead, he was the only one to truly react in faith. Faith is simply trusting and believing in the object of that faith. Peter was demonstrating his true faith in Jesus, while doing so a bit impulsively. What happened next was an amazing demonstration of God’s power for his benefit and for ours. Through Jesus, God continues to help people at their points of need, not because of anything within ourselves that makes us worthy, but because He is a gracious and merciful God who delights in helping those in need.

Questions for further thought:
1. What truths about Jesus’ character could help you see his question to Peter as an invitation rather than an accusation?
2. How do you typically handle doubt? What would it look like to use that doubt as a tool to grow your faith in Christ?

Challenge: Take some time to reflect about beliefs you’ve either questioned in the past or are currently questioning. How do you identify what’s true and what’s untrue?