Introduction
And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” Mark 4:37-40
Sometimes in life, we come up against struggles or trials that are so difficult we feel we might not survive them, or death seems preferable to living through them. Perhaps we get the news that due to a lost job or a failed investment, we are in financial ruin. Or an incurable disease strikes us or someone that we love. Maybe a friend or family member dies through a sudden accident or by violence. Or most commonly, a loved one or we are caught in a sin trap (drunkenness, sexual impurity, gluttony, etc.) from which there seems to be no escape.
Uncertainty and doubts naturally surface and trouble us in difficult times. Some will doubt that God even exists, while others will get stuck on doubting God’s goodness or love.
Looking to Jesus and His wounds dispel these fears, showing us that the worst thing that could ever happen to a human being, death on a cross, was followed by a powerful resurrection from the dead. The cross of Christ and the empty tomb bring comfort to us who need reassurance that God is real, loving, and kind. God came in the Person of Jesus and lived with and for us, died sacrificially, and rose victorious. He is even now preparing a place for us. When we doubt God, we can look to the cross of Christ for the restoration of our faith and joy.
But there is another more insidious doubt that threatens the faith of believers when the struggles of life are weighty, and that is that Christ, His death and resurrection, are insufficient (even irrelevant) to the current difficulty.
The tempting thought is that we need Jesus plus something. The “something” we think we need could be anything – a bank account with money, a cure for our illness, justice for the wrongs against us, an apology, a supportive spouse, loving children, the removal of our difficulty, etc. And while asking God for these things is appropriate and right, we must guard our hearts against the lie of Satan that we cannot experience freedom in Christ or live in righteousness if God answers us with a “no” or “not now.”
About his own discouraging and frustrating struggle, the Apostle Paul prayed, “Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:8-10
Many Christians have wrongly relegated the sufficiency of the cross of Christ to their eternal salvation, and so they continue to struggle, stumble, and fall in their daily walk. They run here and there, seeking a new solution. But God promises that His grace poured out to us from the cross of Christ is sufficient not only for our salvation but also for our sanctification. We are to look to the cross every day of our lives until the end. For when we do, we find that the blood of Jesus not only saves us from the penalty of sin but also sets us free from the power of sin (1 Peter 1:14-19, Romans 6:18)!
Looking to Jesus, considering all that He endured on the cross, is the way to relieve your doubts about the sufficiency of Christ for the troublesome struggles of your life (Mark 4:35-41, John 8:36). As you look past your storm to see your Savior, you will experience His peace, and your doubts will dissipate. In your sin trap, look up to Jesus and see His nail-pierced hands reaching down to pull you up and out, and you will experience the grace of God, which will teach you to say no to your flesh and yes to walking by the Spirit. Oh, friend, whatever your difficulty, Jesus is enough!
Illustration
But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.” Matthew 14: 27-29
In Matthew 14, we read the account of the disciples out in their boat late at night in the middle of a storm. At some point, Jesus goes walking out to them on water, but instead of being comforted, they are all terrified. Jesus calls out to them to reassure them, but Peter, somewhat doubtful, responds to Jesus with an “If it is you…” request. And Jesus calls Peter to come to Him out on the water. Peter’s doubts fall away! With his eyes fixed on Jesus, Peter stepped out of the boat and supernaturally walked on water in the middle of a storm.
“But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Matthew 14:30
Everything was good until Peter became distracted. He stopped looking at Jesus and began to focus on the storm. Amidst the wind and the waves, Peter’s doubts resurfaced and overcame him; He looked away from Jesus and began to sink! With his attention diverted from Jesus, Peter could no longer walk supernaturally but only sink as any person would do.
Peter believed in the power of Jesus, initially. In faith, Peter stepped out of the boat and walked on top of the water, but then he doubted Jesus’ ability to keep him afloat, and down Peter went.
The good news is that Jesus did not abandon Peter in his time of need. Peter cried out, “Lord, save me!” and Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Matthew 14:31
Application
For a moment, compare Peter’s story with your own.
At some point, like Peter, you heard the call of Jesus and responded in obedience. You looked to Jesus and ventured out into the unknown waters of faith. You believed Jesus’ Word, trusted what He said to you, and you were so fixated on Him that you were living a life of confidence in Christ and overcoming sin as you walked by faith.
But then a difficulty or struggle came to you that was discouraging and distracting. Maybe it was an illness, a financial loss, an inability to lose weight, a wayward child, something so big in your mind that it eclipsed the power of Jesus Christ. You began to focus on that problem, and doubts surfaced. Now, you find that you keep sinking under the weight of those doubts. What is wrong here?
You initially looked to Christ for deliverance from God’s wrath and salvation from hell, and you believed in the power of the cross to make you right with God, but now, your difficulty has you doubting! You’ve stopped looking to Jesus, and instead, now all you see is the problem you are trying to overcome. Maybe you’ve turned to many of this world’s solutions and have been repeatedly disappointed.
The remedy is to see Jesus! Specifically, look at the cross and see Jesus dying to set you free from the power of your problem. See His wounds and stripes as He took your punishment, see His death as He paid your penalty! Then see Him rising from the dead, having defeated the devil and death, and having overcome the world. See Him at the right hand of the Father, justifying you, interceding for you. Fixate on Jesus! See His power? See His love? He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and He has overcome, and now His love and His power reside in you, dear friend.
Maybe it’s time for you to say to Jesus right now what Peter shouted when he was sinking in the waves: “Lord, save me!” Shake off your doubt and look to Jesus! View His loving cross, see His shed blood, hear His cry, “It is finished,” and trust His power not only to save you from wrath but to break the power of sin in your life and speak peace to your storm, if you look to Jesus and the power of His cross and resurrection.
“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.” Psalm 37:5
Question: How does putting faith in the gospel alleviate your doubts and enable you to be an overcomer in all things?
Larry writes, “It helps me to see clearly what my faith is all about and to choose to believe this with all my heart and soul and act accordingly. What the cross shows me is power and hope and life and truth and love, lots of love that just looks right all the way! It seems fantastical but the cross still feels and thinks so right, not a scheme or forgery or blackmail or lie painted real pretty! It is truth blaring in my face!“
Judy writes, “Lord save me from doubt and help me to always to keep my eyes on you, Lord. knowing that you are always there and watching over me. To look to you and not to self or others, Seeing you on the cross and knowing you died and rose again to give me salvation, and daily help! Please help me to be content in all and to follow in faith. Amen.”
Sophia writes, “Because the Lord Jesus was an overcomer at the cross, because he destroyed sin and death and hell, because he rose from the dead, HIS overcoming is enough. His grace is sufficient. If the son sets me free, I am free indeed. He will act if I trust in him and commit my way to him.“
Mike L. writes, “When I look to the cross, I see that Jesus held nothing back, but gave everything so that I can live in peace so that I can walk confidently through life and know that I can overcome anything. Knowing that Jesus is alive today and is at the Father’s side watching over me, pleading on my behalf gives me hope to endure to the end. Lord Jesus, you are my hope, seeing what You went through for me cancels any doubts that I have in life, thank You for giving everything so that I can live at peace until I get to be with You, Bless Your Beautiful Name!
Romans 8:32 The Passion Translation (TPT) 32 For God has proved his love by giving us his greatest treasure, the gift of his Son. And since God freely offered him up as the sacrifice for us all, he certainly won’t withhold from us anything else he has to give.“
Reprinted by permission from the Looking to Jesus study at www.settingcaptivesfree.com. SCF exists to help men and women find freedom in Christ through the gospel.