I want to talk about something very real—something I think every believer faces but doesn’t always admit, and that’s doubting God’s grace and mercy when life feels uncertain.
There are moments when we’re in the middle of a storm—emotionally, spiritually, financially, even physically—and we start to wonder: “Where is God in this? Has His grace run out for us? Are we too far gone?
Recently, when I found myself in that place, I thought about the story of Peter walking on water.
In Matthew 14:22-33, the disciples are in a boat, and the wind is raging. They see Jesus walking on the water toward them, and Peter, a very bold and courageous man, says, “Lord, if it’s really You, tell me to come to You on the water.” Jesus simply says, “Come.”
Peter steps out. I try to put myself in his place, imagining what it must have been like—his feet on top of the waves, eyes locked on Jesus, walking in the impossible. But then, he notices the wind. The waves. The storm. And what happens?
He starts to sink. I’m ashamed to admit the times I’ve done this very thing. But I love what happens next.
Peter cries out, “Lord, save me!” And immediately, Jesus reaches out His hand and catches him. (Matthew 14:30-31)
It’s amazing how every single word in scripture has a purpose. The word that sticks out to me is immediately. Jesus didn’t wait for Peter to learn his lesson. He didn’t let him sink a little more. He didn’t say, “I told you to focus.” He grabbed Peter because grace doesn’t wait until we’ve got it all figured out.
That’s exactly how God deals with us, too. Well, definitely with me.
So often we think God’s grace is only there when we’re full of faith—when we’re confident, when we’re praying right, when we’re living right. But the truth is, grace shows up in the sinking. Mercy grabs us when we’re falling apart.
Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 12:9,
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
That means even when we’re doubting, even when we’re not strong, God is still strong for us.
And that’s the kind of Savior Jesus is. He tells us to come. He invites us to step out in faith. But even when we get distracted, when we’re afraid, and when we lose sight of Him, He doesn’t let us drown; He never loses sight of us.
To be fully transparent, I struggle even writing these words because I don’t want to believe that I could ever doubt the validity of God’s grace and mercy. In this moment, I have concrete, rational assurance of God’s goodness, but my doubt may only be a moment away.
The truth is, our doubt doesn’t have to be a blatant proclamation -At least that’s not how my doubt works. Often, it’s very subtle, disguised as “concern” or a harmless “struggle to understand”
There is a scene in THE CHOSEN between Jesus and Matthew where they are talking about Matthew having a hard time justifying Jesus’ actions in the temple.
“Jesus” says, ” So, above all, you seek understanding.”
Matthew replies, “Above all, I seek You.”
I don’t know if that is scripturally accurate, but for my simple mind, that was a beautiful reminder.
If you, like so many others, are in a season where the wind feels stronger than your faith—where you’ve been questioning if God’s grace and mercy are still relevant and free for you—I want to remind you: Yes, they are. Jesus still reaches for you. He is still full of grace and truth. And He hasn’t stopped calling you to walk with Him.
So many things in today’s world are hard for me to understand, certainly hard to justify, but ultimately, ABOVE ALL, I just want Jesus.
Keep your eyes on Him—not on the waves, not on the fear, not on your own strength, and especially not on the what-ifs.
But even in those moments when we feel like we are sinking, drowning in a sea of doubt, His merciful hand is already on the way down to pull us back up.
For that, I am grateful.
Lynn Fulwider
Lean into Jesus Ministries
#lynnfulwiderblogs