Pray First.

Read Genesis 35.

Change is hard. It comes with uncertainty, leaving behind the familiar, and often letting go of things we’ve grown to love. As a military family, many times we’ve let go, left behind, and moved to the unknown to begin again… and again. Yet with each move or change, we learned that we could trust God in the process.

Even though change can be hard, it can also be beneficial. Jacob moved from home to his uncle’s in Padan Aram so he would be protected from his brother’s wrath. There he also found a wife, had children, and gained wealth. When God called him to move back home to the land promised to his family, he moved, and God proved himself a faithful protector, reuniting him peacefully with his brother.

Jacob moved to Succoth and set up a home, then soon moved again to Shechem. There, he and his family suffered terrible tragedy, which Jacob handled poorly. From Shechem, he returned to the place where he first encountered God. Bethel is the place where he had seen God and his angels ascending and descending a ladder. It’s the place where God extended the Abrahamic promise to Jacob, the Promised Land and a nation of descendants. This is the place to which he promised God he would return. 

In returning to this place of his first love, he experienced repentance and forgiveness, a restored relationship with God, and a renewal of his purpose…to be the father of a great nation, a people of God. He built an altar and worshiped God. 

The same was true for Jacob in all of his moves as was true throughout my family’s moves: there were certainly struggles, yet there were many blessings and lessons learned along the way. As Jacob moved from place to place his faith grew and he learned that he could trust God in all circumstances, good and bad. 

Jesus used many opportunities to teach his followers about trust in difficult circumstances. In Matthew 14, we read about Jesus appearing to the disciples walking on the waters of a stormy sea. Only one, Peter, was willing to leave the comfort and protection of the boat to walk on water with Jesus, until he changed his focus to the storm around him. He began to sink and cried out to Jesus to save him. Jesus reached out his hand and pulled him to safety.  

Once in the boat, Jesus said, “Oh, you of little faith. Why did you doubt?” (Matt 14:31 ESV). Jesus taught Peter a lesson about trust. Even though Peter’s faith, and our faith, can sometimes waver, especially when we focus on obstacles instead of on Jesus, he is always there to lift us up regardless of our doubts. 

Jesus could also have been teaching Peter, the disciples, and all of us that even with a little faith, the impossible is possible. With faith as small as a mustard seed, we can move mountains! With faith, Jacob was able to move to the place where he first loved God. With a little faith, Peter got out of the boat and walked on water with Jesus! 

What boat are you in today that makes you feel comfortable and safe, yet holds you captive from stepping out in faith to the place where Jesus is calling you? Sometimes it’s misery that we are reluctant to move out of, simply because we feel safe in the familiar. We linger in the boat because of self-doubt or because we’re fearful of what may lie ahead. 

The good news is that there is a place of freedom from all of our doubt and fear, and it’s at the feet of Jesus. When we put our faith and trust in him we can find courage to take steps toward the life he has planned for us and we can experience all the benefits of walking with the Lord: he forgives our sins, he heals our diseases, he redeems us from the pit and crowns us with his steadfast love and mercy (Psalm 103).

Are you living a life apart from God, miserable in the path you’ve chosen? Is he calling you to take a step in faith, but you feel afraid to move? Maybe he wants you to move into a leadership role at your church. Maybe he wants you to join a Bible study group or start one of your own. You may be at the bottom of a pit, miserable and lost. Wherever you are, whatever you’ve done or however you may have disregarded God in the past, He is there, standing on the stormy waters reaching his hand for you. He’s calling you to move. 

Change may be hard, but every step we take with God, we learn that he is faithful and trustworthy. So get out of that boat and walk on water with him. 

Worship: Oceans by Hillsong United

 

Find Tracy on Facebook at Tracy Fields Todd, Writer, and on Instagram at @tracyftodd.