08/23/2026
“You of little faith, why did you doubt?” Matthew 14:31
Other than babysitting family and friends, I had my first job when I was 13 years old. I worked at an indoor community swimming pool (Michigan winters are cold!). People who wanted to go for a swim would give me 25 cents and I gave them a small metal basket to put their clothes in while they swam.
I loved being around the pool, watching the high school swim team practice, and going swimming myself during my time off. When I turned 16, I passed the Red Cross lifeguard certification class and began working as a lifeguard and swimming instructor. Learning how to swim is a good idea if you live in Michigan where there are over 11,000 lakes (not counting the Great Lakes) and a person is never far from water. Knowing how to swim can save your life if you fall off a boat or a dock.
I soon learned that teaching adults to swim was very different than teaching children. Children were generally excited about going into the water and essentially came to us to learn about water safety, how to float, tread water, and swim. The biggest challenge for most of the adults, though, wasn’t learning how to swim. It was overcoming their fear of being in water. Many of them had learned to be afraid of water in ways the children never had. Some of the adults were afraid to even go near the water.
Other adults came to us for a very different reason. They already knew how to swim. Many were good, strong swimmers, and would calmly and confidently swim across the shallow end of the pool, knowing they could touch the bottom of the pool anytime they needed to. They were terrified of deep water, though, They didn’t want anything to do with water that was “over their head”. Even though they were good swimmers, their fears and doubts took over when they even thought about going into deep water.
The good news is that most of these adults, with time, gentle encouragement, and support, overcame their fears and doubts, at least enough to be able to get into deep water and swim without panicking. They had come to us not to learn to swim, but to ask for help in believing they were capable of embracing something new, something that was scary for them. They came to us hoping to live into what they were truly capable of, with God’s help. It reminds me of the man who in Mark’s gospel says to Jesus, “I believe. Help my unbelief.” (Mk. 9:24) And so eventually, in spite of their doubts, when they found themselves in water over their heads, they remained calm (mostly). They were able to be more the person God meant them to be, less afraid, with more confidence and courage. I think about them every time I hear the story of Peter walking on water in Matthew’s gospel.
Like the adults who were afraid of deep water, Peter doubted too. At Jesus’ invitation to “Come”, Peter got out of the boat and began walking on the water toward Jesus. As long as he kept his eye on Jesus, he was not afraid. It was when Peter’s attention shifted from Jesus to the strong winds and waves that he began to doubt. And that was then Peter began to sink. But all Peter had to do when he lost his focus was turn to Jesus and ask for help. “Lord, save me,” he said. And immediately, Jesus reached out his hand and caught him.
Just like Peter, we become distracted by the storms in our own lives that take our focus away from Jesus. We become distracted by our fears and our doubts. We lose sight of who we are and the good we are capable of doing through the gifts we have been given by God. But Jesus is always there, holding His hand out to us when we’re sinking, encouraging us, supporting us, comforting us.
Jesus knows we have fears and doubts. But Jesus calls us to embrace new things anyway. He calls us to new and greater challenges that we never dreamed we were capable of. Jesus tells us that if we believe in Him will do the works that He does, and in fact, will do even greater works than He does. (John 14:12).
What doubts and fears might be holding you back from embracing something new? Where is Jesus inviting you to go when you hear Him say “Come”? Wherever it is, it will be a place that needs your light, your compassion, your forgiveness, and most of all your love. And remember, when the storms come, and you become distracted and forget who you are, where you are, and why you are there, just turn to Jesus and say, “Lord, save me.” And He will.
The Rev. Gail Bernthal, EDSJ Supply Clergy
