Hello to everyone on this spring break weekend!

It is good to finally be out of the winter season and take our first steps into spring. Excitement of this seems to be taking place all around us in its natural form. When you go outside you can feel the sun rays breaking through the clouds as well as seeing a green blanket of pollen covering everything.

There’s just something special about living and experiencing the change of a new season as it takes place. Spring always brings a sense of life and hope no matter the situation you may be facing. It fills us with a surge of determination, purpose and encouragement when we are feeling overwhelmed and ready to give up.

I want to share a word from Matthew 14:24-31, a very familiar story about Peter walking on water.

“Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. About three o’clock in the morning, Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, ‘It’s a ghost!’ But Jesus spoke to them at once. ‘Don’t be afraid,’ he said. ‘Take courage. I am here!’

“Then Peter called to him, ‘Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.’ ‘Yes, come,’ Jesus said.

“So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. ‘Save me, Lord!’ he shouted.

“Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. ‘You have so little faith,’ Jesus said. ‘Why did you doubt me?’”

The passage tells us that the disciples were caught in a great storm and they feared for their lives as they saw someone walking up to the boat. Peter seemed to be the only one who had enough courage to ask for help after Jesus identified himself to them. When he did, Jesus told Peter to come out of the boat and walk toward him as he stood at a distance in the stormy waters.

I want to share 3 steps to use when you feel overwhelmed and you need God to help you.

Learn to ask for help

Don’t keep the need inside! Ask for spiritual guidance. When Peter hears the voice of God in the middle of the storm, he said; “If that is you, tell me to come.” What he was saying was, “I am confused, I am in a storm, I feel overwhelmed, and I don’t know what to do! Lord speak into my life because I can’t see clearly, I recognize your voice. I know if you speak, I will find my direction out of this storm by following your voice.”

Proverbs 11:2 ESV: “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.”

Pride has a way of provoking the flesh to fight against the spirit as the Apostle Paul writes in Galatians 5:17. Many times the first thing we do when we encounter an overwhelming problem is to blame others. Remember, Jesus asked them to go ahead without him. There are reasons why God asks us to go through overwhelming circumstances. Many times it’s to test our Faith and trust in him.

Out of all the disciples, Peter was the only one that swallowed his pride and asked for help to get out that situation. We shouldn’t feel shame or a sense of failure when we ask for help. Asking God for help should be a daily part of our lives. When we get up in the morning to pray, that is a form of asking for help. There are many situations that we cannot change, but God can move those mountains for us, if we have faith in His ability, not ours, to calm those storms. If we do this, God will be glorified and our needs will be met.

1 Peter 5:7 NLT: “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”

Move forward, ask Jesus to partner with you!

When we seek a word or direction from God, we have to do it even if we don’t like what He says. When Peter responded, it got him out of the boat, not the situation. We can’t stay in the place of fear trying to figure it out ourselves. The longer we stay in that situation, the end of the storm will never come. We have to push through and walk toward Him. It doesn’t matter how you got to that situation, what matters is how you will respond to it and His instructions.

Philippians 3:13 says to “Focus on what’s ahead of you and forget that which is behind you.” This means don’t try to figure out how you got to that stormy place, but rather get up and leave that old season and walk towards the new one that he has for you. “God will guide you through each storm you face!” Psalms 32:8

God also says that “he will make rivers in the dry wasteland” Isaiah 43:19. In Peter’s case, he made a dry path in the raging sea. There is nothing impossible for our God. We just have to learn to turn to him for help, no matter how great the need or problem.

Keep your eyes on Jesus during the process

Peter began to sink in the water when he took his eyes off Jesus and set his eyes on the winds and waves! Don’t set your eyes on the circumstances you’re in. They are not greater than the One who can stop the storm!

The enemy has us so convinced that things will never change and forcing us to give up before reaching the place of peace. Maybe you feel trapped in the boat of fear, insecurity, failure, despair, problems, sickness, loneliness.

The same overwhelming feeling that the disciples had is the same feeling that almost drowned them until Peter did something about it. Remember Peter asked for help and Jesus gave him the answer. Jesus said come. He was with Peter all the time, even when Peter began to doubt and began to sink. Jesus extended his hand and saved him. Peter’s actions saved them all.

Maybe God has allowed you to be in that situation so the people around you can be saved by the actions you take as Peter did, even if you don’t have the answers yourself, but you know the One who does. His name is Jesus Christ. Don’t doubt Him, He is able to change your storm.

Author Pastor G. G. Jr.

Let’s pray so that you can remember to partner with with Jesus daily and keep your eyes open for how He is guiding you;

Jesus I invite you in my life and ask that YOU become my personal Lord and Savior. Please help me with what seems to overwhelm me and tire me out daily!

Guide me so that I can learn how to manage and balance what I am going through!

Thank You for making a way where there seems to be no way. Thank You for Your unwavering faithfulness and Your wisdom that moves mountains. I pray that You will always give me the strength to move forward with joy despite any trials and tribulations that come my way. In your name I ask and pray, Amen.