Growing up I thought swimming was walking around in the shallow end of the concrete pool. I did this so much that I had blisters on my toes. I watched other people splashing, diving, and enjoying the water. But at the core, I was afraid to get out of my comfort zone…the shallow end. That changed the summer I took swimming lessons. Learning to swim began with trusting the instructor.

Are you in the shallow end of your faith in Christ? I love the story of Jesus teaching Peter about trust in the deep end of the Sea of Galilee. It’s found in Matthew 14:22-33. The Disciples were in a boat on the Sea of Galilee during a terrible storm. “And when the disciples saw Him (Jesus) walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.” Yet, when Jesus said, “Come,” Peter piled out of the boat and was walking on water until he took his eyes off Jesus to look at the storm. At that moment he began to sink and cried out, “Lord, save me!” “And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

I still remember my swimming instructor saying, “I’ve got you!” Learning to follow Jesus is like swimming…you must Trust Him. He will provide instruction & encouragement for each of us to swim in the deep end of life with confidence. Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:11-13, “to equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”

Are you still in the shallow end of your faith? Our confidence does not come in our ability but in Trusting Him. Growing your faith comes from obedience and doing what the instructor (Holy Spirit) calls you to do. He’s in the water…are you ready?