God is calling someone to walk on water today. As I sat quietly in the presence of the Lord meditating on His word and His direction for my own life, I felt led to the story of Peter trying to walk on water. I have often felt like the space between my boat and Jesus is too wide. Even as I try to reach out to Him, I easily become distracted by the harsh winds that blow against my boat. If you are like me, Jesus may have asked you to “get into a boat and go on ahead to the other side” Matt 14:22. He is trying to take you to a new place in your life, to a higher destination! He may have given you an assignment and sent you on a journey riddled with road bumps and unexpected turns. The weather may have changed on you and you are buffeted by the waves, you may be experiencing contrary winds, winds that are against you.

I used to think that if Jesus sends us, it will be a smooth ride because we obviously are walking in God’s will. Maybe you are a more mature believer and you already understand that there will be obstacles even when God has given us a word to do something. We may know this but then we expect God to show up in out trials as soon as we call and do something to fix it. If you know me, you may know that I often pull a “Jacob at Peniel’ with the Lord and that He often touches the hollow in my thigh and leaves me even more dependent on him for my future. I have grown to enjoy these moments of ‘palapala’ with my Maker because while I may enter in confusion, frustration, disappointment and offense, I always come out more surrendered with a promise, I come out with an assurance of my future direction and the peace to rest in my process.

If you are wrestling with what God is doing in your life (Gen 32:24) because you are not sure if it is God, you are not alone. You may just be having a Penuel moment and your name is about to be changed. It is your season of transformation! If you are being tossed in the waves of life right now, I want to assure you that no matter how dark the night has been, Jesus always shows up before dawn. Matt 14:25. The challenge for most of us is that after a long night, we have a tendency to mistake Jesus for a ghost. Even when the Lord shows up and asks us to love that friend who betrayed us or to sacrifice for that family member one more time, we think it is the devil trying to take advantage of us. God is calling us to humble ourselves even though we think we are right. He is asking us to forgive that person even though they violated us in a time of weakness and betrayed our trust. God wants us to learn how to truly be vessels of honor in His hands by letting Him fill us with His spirit and use us to bring healing to those very people who abuse us and gossip about us daily. Are we filled with the Holy Ghost or are we filled with thoughts of anger, bitterness, hate, envy, unforgiveness, jealousy and all things evil? A vessel is a container used for carrying things by the owner. What are we carrying and who is our owner? You see, when we are filled with the wrong things, we are not able to recognize Jesus in our storm.

Our wilderness experiences are usually well orchestrated by our loving father who is watching every twist and turn in our lives and using them to grow us into Kingdom champions. He is using every challenge in our lives to purge us of all unrighteousness. He is bringing out all that which is in us that is not of him. Whatever rises in us or comes out of us in the time of trial is what we are carrying, it simply reveals what we are filled with. That boss may not be the real problem but your anger may be the issue God wants to deal with.

Don’t focus on the winds in your life because they will cause you to react the wrong way. Spending your energy fighting your “frenemies”, your boss, that crazy husband or that gossip of a friend will only cause you to sink to a low place of destruction. 2 Cor 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds. Every wind coming against you is a distraction to take your focus away from Jesus and what He is doing in your life. A vessel is also a craft made to travel on water; you really are made to walk on water and not sink but you just have to keep your eyes on Jesus. Have faith and trust that God’s got this all under control! By the way you have company; we are all in the same boat!