How to Find Perfect Peace: Dancing with Daddy, Walking on Water
The Lord gives perfect peace
to those whose faith is firm.
the faith walk
The Lord is asking us to do a massive “faith walk” right now. But it kind of feels more like a “trust fall”! Can you relate?
In God’s always gracious timing, our dear longtime friends visited town and stopped by this week. They have been missionaries all over the world in several continents knew this path all too well. They gave me the gift of processing out loud and they listened while I just rambled off every crazy thing going on.
but, where are we going?
I told them about times when I’ve had zero shadow of the doubt that I’m supposed to do something or not. Perfect peace and 100% clarity from the Lord. He’s asked me to not go back to college, not go on my dream vacation with my husband after it was booked, and to move to the state I never wanted to live in. Each time, it was just clear. I didn’t know they why’s yet; He made those clear within days after choosing to obey His lead. But I did know exactly that it was His Voice calling me and His voice leading me so I didn’t worry about the how or the why.
But now. I am not just a single college kid where all my household items fit in the back of my truck or a young married adult with everything I wanted in my arms. I’m now a woman who has weathered tempests and disasters, whose children have faced unbelievable instability. And it feels like a lot more is at stake. And yet the Lord is even quieter than ever in His leading.
My missionary friend told me that she’s been reading a book on Hearing God by Dallas Willard. Where he says that the longer we are in Christ, often the less direct the leading become. Where God wants us to rely more on the relationship than the directives.
The Lord seems more interested in our keeping relationship tight than walking a tight rope on the road ahead.
dancing with Daddy
This reminded me of swing dancing in college. That’s the first place the Lord taught me to rely on relationship and gentle nudges to follow Him. (Til then, I was looking for lightning bolts and thunder.) I’d still take a lightning bolt or thunder, if He doesn’t mind. I like to know without a shadow of a doubt that I’m following Him the right way and to the right place.
But what if following God is more about staying right close to Him, rather than about the right way and right place? What if it’s not so much about the path we take on earth but the fact that we are doing our darndest to just walk in step with Him.
what are you focused on?
What’s the difference between these two options?
I see a little girl standing on her daddy’s feet. She’s just beaming a smile and starry eyed, head tilted way back so she can look up at her daddy. Sometimes, she closes her eyes and just feels the beat of the music and the sway of the dance. She’s having fun and carefree! She actually doesn’t think once about where are they going or how they will get there. She’s so happy to be in His embrace. And that’s all she needs. And truth be told. That’s all you and I need too.
The other girl wants to dance too. But her gaze is fixed on all the obstacles around her and her daddy. She warns him, “Oh no! There’s a couch right behind you, Daddy. Let’s not bump into that!” “Oh no! The stairs to the basement are just over there. Don’t go too close. I don’t want us to fall!” She loves her daddy and wants to dance, but she stumbles a bit because she’s afraid. But the real heart of the matter is that she doesn’t trust that her dad is fully capable of looking out for the dangers and pitfalls. That’s the dad’s job. Not the job of the child.
Both of these children are in relationship with their Father in Heaven, but one of the girls is having a lot more fun! And that’s where I want to be! The difference between the two girls is their gaze. One was fully focused on the face of her daddy, eye contact, trust, joy and peace. The other was fixing her thoughts on things at eye level.
walking on water
That’s the difference of sinking or walking on water. The disciples had just seen a massive wonder of 5000 people being fed with only a couple loaves of bread a few fish. And there were leftovers! Because that’s God’s abundant economy of faith!
And then Jesus “immediately” sent the disciples off across the sea in a boat without him. I would be like, “Nah. You need to come with us!” But they went on ahead and winds and waves beat against their boat. They saw a figure walking across the water and freaked out that it might be a ghost! But Jesus said, “Take heart! It it’s me. Don’t be afraid.”
So Peter is like, “If it’s really you, command me to come on the water with you.” And Jesus replies, “Come.” So he does! He starts walking on the water toward Jesus. Eyes fixed.
faith over fear
This is the faith walk we’ve experienced so many times! Where you know that in the natural, you should be drowning and sinking but somehow, you’re walking on water! I felt that so many times in the turbulence after my husband died.
But then our humanity gets the best of us, and like the little girl worrying about obstacles and dangers, Peter takes his eyes off Jesus and starts to look around. The wind. The waves. And fear sinks in and begins to drown him in the storm. We’ve all experienced this too! Where we can’t even see Jesus anymore because all we see are the rising waters and all we can feel is this sinking feeling that we are about to drown!
Read the full story here in Matthew 14 about Peter and Jesus. And ask Holy Spirit to give you more insight and wisdom on where you are putting your gaze. Ask Him to show you how to walk on water! He will answer that prayer!
perfect peace
Peter and Jesus on the boat and the little girl dancing with Daddy have so much in common. Their situations remained the same but their experiences are so different. In every storm, we can experience the exhilaration of trusting God or the fear of drowning in the turbulence. And often, we experience both.
But we get to choose perfect peace. We get to choose if we drown in the storm or dance on the waters.
My mom had this verse on the wall everywhere we moved and lived. So it became the first verse I ever memorized. Perfect peace comes from trusting in God.
You keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on you,
because he trusts in you.
Where are you fixing your thoughts and gaze recently? Do you need to shift your perspective?
“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
Selah.
Til next time… Toodle-loo, and Peace be with you.
If you want to set your heart on Jesus and walk on water in the power of the Holy Spirit, here’s a prayer to ask Jesus to wash you clean and lead you in a new life.
Here’s the story of how I came to Christ. If you decided to give your life to Jesus today too, please let us know so we can share in your new joy! And seek out someone in your area who loves Jesus and walks in humility who can help show you the way.
As always, drop your questions or comments below. I love hearing from you.
