Week 8: Lifts Us

Week 8

He Lifts Us

     One of my favorite stories in the New Testament is the story of Peter walking on the water. As many of you know, the story goes that the apostles were sailing in the middle of a stormy night and see Jesus walking on water towards them. Peter, to prove that Jesus was not a ghost, asks, "Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water" (Matthew 14:28); to which the Lord invites him to come. Peter got out of the boat and started walking to Jesus. He was doing so well until he looked around him at the tempest; at this point he begins to sink and shouts out for the Lord to save him. The Savior does save him and then tells him this, "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" (Matthew 14:31) 

     This week I had a very similar experience. I was preparing to take a Chemistry test, praying and studying the entire week, and I felt like I had done everything to prepare. I started the test and everything was going smoothly, until I got to a problem that I didn't feel strong in. I began to "sink," feeling I had no chance of doing well. I said a prayer begging with almost the same plea: "Lord, Save Me!" At that moment, I looked back at the problem and saw tiny detail which made the problem solvable and finished the problem. In my mind's eye, I could see the Savior pulling me up and asking me that same question, "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"

     When we look at the story of Peter, we might wonder why he was afraid of sinking; if he were a fisherman, he would have been a very skilled swimmer. In analyzing this, we could see that the fear of the storm took him. I felt that same way about my test; I had studied and was capable of doing well on my test; however, fear of failure took me. It feels nice to know that there is a Savior who, although knowing we are capable of fixing our own problems, is willing to lift us up in times of fear. I know that he will come to our aid, and, most of all, I know that when we fail to see that strength within us, he believes in us.