“You don’t know the impact your step will have on those around you.” Joshua Prius
I want to discuss one more truth I learned from Joshua’s sermon regarding Peter walking on the water toward Jesus (Matthew 14: 22-36). The last truth that spoke to my heart was one I had never thought about before…ever. Matthew 14:33 (NIV) states, “Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” I’d assumed that because all the people following Jesus were disciples, they realized who He was and what He was there for. I’ve always thought about it from hindsight – I knew Jesus died on the cross and rose again, but at this point in history, even though they had seen Jesus perform miracles (many miracles) and heal people (many people physically and spiritually) it says that now is when they worshipped Him and realized Who He really was.
Joshua pointed out not only the above that I’d never thought about before, but that if it weren’t for Peter asking to step out of the boat to get closer to Jesus to begin with, the disciples might not have had that insight until much later. He reminded us that we never know who might be impacted when we chose to step out of the boat in obedience to God.
While the journey God has me and my family on doesn’t seem all that impressive, I’ve had friends comment about it. I’ve replied that all I’m doing is trying my best to obey and carry out what He has called me to do. It doesn’t seem all that fancy when my salary still doesn’t pay the bills I’m responsible for, my jobs aren’t all that glamorous, and I work more than I wish I did. But that part doesn’t matter. This is where God has called me to be at this point in my life. It doesn’t matter what the job description but it does matter that when God said, “step,” our family stepped. When God tested our stepping to see if we were truly going to obey, we held on and didn’t turn back to the boat. God chose to bless that step and will continue to bless our stepping in His time, in His way. While I believe there is more blessing to come (like an income that will be fully replaced), in the meantime I’m choosing to focus on other things. The blessings we do have, the steps that still need to be stepped, and making sure I don’t lose sight that it is Him that I’m to obey and follow – not step out on my own path.
Joshua’s sermon really encouraged me. We’ve just finished a period where God has lavished blessings on our lives. I would love for this to be the end and I can just relax that the storm is over. However, while I believe He intended those specific blessings as a chance to refresh, now I need to get back to stepping. Where the steps are going to lead at this point, I don’t know. I had started to get discouraged because as I mentioned above, the journey doesn’t appear to be over. I don’t believe we’ve fully stepped into God’s best for our lives yet but I didn’t see the next step either. God doesn’t call us to be discouraged, just to continue to be obedient where we are until He shows us the next step.
Thank you, Joshua, for encouraging me to continue to obey where I am until God shows the next step He wants our family to take. While I got a little sidetracked this past month, my priorities are back where they need to be and I know from prior experience, whatever next steps God has for us, they will be exciting because we’ll be headed where God wants us to go.
© Cheri Swalwell 2015