Where feet may fail

“When my heart is overwhelmed…”

Overwhelmed. How often do I feel overwhelmed? Overwhelmed with work, decisions, friends, family, life. Overwhelmed with emotion: happiness, sadness, stress, exhaustion (I don’t think exhaustion is actually classified as an emotion but just go with it).

Maybe you’re overwhelmed with bills. You have a stack of checks that need to be paid taller than the checks you have to deposit. Or maybe it’s school. Maybe your assignment list is way longer than you remembered it being last semester and you’re just not sure how you’re going to finish all your work AND sleep this week. Maybe you have so many errands to run, and appointments to go to, and things on your to do list that it just makes you want to curl up in a ball and hide your face and hope they all go away.

I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve felt this way. So overwhelmed that I’m not sure how much more I can take. And then I read the second part of that Psalm.

“When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Psalm 61:2

The rock that is higher than I. Meaning I can’t get there on my own. Someone else needs to reach down and help me. That is the awesome and terrifying and incredible thing about God. He requires faith. And if you believe that the Bible is true, then you know that faith can move mountains. It can part seas and make the blind see and allowed Peter to walk on water. But there’s another part to that story about walking on water that is often skimmed over:

And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:28-31)

Peter got out of the boat. He took that step of faith. But then he saw the wind, and he got scared. He began to sink. But the awesome part is when he was sinking; he called out for Jesus to save him. And Jesus immediately reached out His hand. He didn’t say “forget about it Peter, you had your chance, you’re on your own now.” He reached out His hand and took hold of him.  

Peter and I must be related somewhere down the line, cause I am so very much like Peter. Taking that step of faith, getting out on the water and then seeing that gust of wind and feeling like I’m about to sink. Some days, I am quick to call out to the Lord for help. Other days it takes me longer. But Jesus never lets me sink. No matter how many times I am one of little faith, He never lets me sink.

Even as I am writing this I am having trouble putting my money where my mouth is. In the back of my mind I’m still worrying about all those little things I surrendered to God last week, yesterday, and again this morning. And I am sure I will need to surrender them again tonight, and tomorrow, and probably next week too. But when my heart (and my head) is overwhelmed, I know that Jesus won’t let me sink. He is the rock that I lean on.

The song Oceans by Hillsong United is a powerful song that has brought me so much comfort in these times of feeling overwhelmed. Here are some of the lyrics: 

You call me out upon the waters

the great unknown, where feet may fail

And there I find you in the mystery

In oceans deep, my faith will stand

And I will call upon Your name

and keep my eyes above the waves

When oceans rise my soul will rest in Your embrace

For I am Yours and You are mine

Your grace abounds in deepest waters

Your sovereign hand will be my guide

Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me 

You've never failed and You won't start now

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders

Let me walk upon the waters, wherever You would call me

Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander

And my faith will be made stronger 

in the presence of my Savior

Oceans by Hillsong United: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy9nwe9_xzw