Walking on Water Puddles
I believe in walk-on-water miracles.
I believe that God heals the sick and sights the blind.
I believe that He can restore what is broken and bind the brokenhearted.
I believe that He is sovereign in the storms of life and the raging seas.
Yet, I panic when I pass through a puddle.
It’s the mud in the mundane that can paralyze me instantly.
A sick kid. A car that won’t start. A coffee-ruined shirt.
An unintentionally hurtful comment or critique.
A brief feeling of doubt, insecurity, or rejection.
It’s not the mighty winds or raging seas that get me,
it’s these minor moments that pile into a mountain.
In Matthew 4, Jesus calms the storm on the sea:
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Matthew 14 tells of Jesus on the raging sea:
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
…but what about the winds along the way?
What about the daily doubts and discouragements?
What about the small, unseen stormy days?
Because I wonder if He is in the puddles like He is on the sea.
Is He there too?
Does He perform miracles in the mundane or only on the mighty waves?
Does He walk through the day with me or does He only show up on the seas?
Does He come to calm my own emotional chaos or does He only calm the storms?
The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you.
He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.
Deuteronomy 31:8
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous!
Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God
is with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9
Do you not know that you are a temple of God
and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
1 Corinthians 3:16
As I dig into His Word, I have realized that it’s not about His presence, it’s my perspective.
His presence is a promise. My perspective is in progress.
Often, I look at my circumstance instead of the Spirit.
I focus on the inconvenience instead of the opportunity.
Every puddle can be turned into a platform of praise.
Instead of waiting for walk-on-water moments to lean into the miracle
and grow my faith, I can dance in the puddles along the way.
Every inconvenience is an opportunity to praise.
Every mud puddle is a place to set my eyes on God.
Every instance of opposition is an avenue of growth.
Instead of panicking in the mud, I am choosing to dance in the puddles.
To find joy in all circumstances and to be thankful for the growth that comes from rain.
It’s not just a bad season. It’s not a bad day.
It’s another opportunity to be thankful for Him.
To be thankful for growth and grace.
To set my eyes above and praise.
I have allowed the mud to taint me, but I refuse to let it identify me.
My shoes are covered in mud right now, but rain has a way of washing what it hits.
As I praise in the mud puddles of uncertainty, loneliness, and growing pains.
As I walk through daily demands, work woes, and the highs and lows of life,
I’ll let Him wash me clean. I’ll let Him fall upon me and strengthen me.
I am not the mud that I’m standing in.
I am a woman being washed clean, over and over again.
Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
James 1:2-4
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
