I’ve been struggling. It seems that’s been the anthem of my life the past few months. I’m burnt out, running on E, and feeling desperate for peace and rest.
I know I’m not the only one that’s feeling this way. Our country is desperate right now. Desperate for peace and for unity and for love. I never thought that at 25 years old, I would see so much turmoil, hate and unrest in our country.
As a woman of Christian faith, as well as one that’s been brought up in the church, I know and believe that we are called to “go”. We are called to go out into the war, into the daily turmoils and into the wrath of hate. We are commanded to be the feet of Jesus. But, sometimes it’s hard. It’s hard to be the one that carries all the weight. Some of you are feeling this in your own families. In your marriage. In your friend groups. The one that’s always taking on the burden for everyone else. The one’s that always listening and bearing the problems of your loved ones and the world.
Lately, there has been nothing more that I’ve wanted to do than curl up in a ball, cry my eyes out and hide from the rest of the world. I’m just being transparent with you. It’s hard to listen to Gods commands sometimes. They aren’t always easy. It’s times like this when I think about Peter – how he fearfully stepped out of the boat among the chaos of the gigantic storm that was raging around him. Can you even imagine being asked by God to step out into the middle of a Category 5 hurricane and to walk on water? It makes my stomach hurt just thinking about it.
Matthew 14:28-33
Even Peter struggled –
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
We have turned ourselves into a doubting nation. Right now, there seems to be little hope left. The rise in racism, hatred, political division and terrorism have the entire world looking at us woefully. Right now, we are crying out, “Lord save me!”
Our world will mend itself. We will come together and pick ourselves up after tragedy, just as we always do, time and time again. The storm will calm and the news media will lull. We will go about our daily lives, still keeping these tragic moments close to our heart, but our head will clear. Yet, we still doubt. Why do we doubt that the Son of God won’t heal our land? Why do we have such little faith that the ultimate Healer won’t come close to heal broken hearts and unrest?
I love that one of Jesus’s greatest commands is to love your neighbor as yourself, and to GO out and be the change in the world as the hands and feet of Jesus. But sometimes, in order to be our best selves, and to do the job well, we must “come” and receive the healing love of God our Father.
Come. Come into His precious presence and be one with Him. Receive His healing. Receive His goodness. Oh, you of little faith, why do you doubt? Receive all of Him, and “come”.