Devotion — Real Belief

"We have plenty of beliefs, but too few convictions."
–Mike Woodruff, pastor

It’s easy to hold a belief when you like the results. It’s easy to believe the Cubs will win it all when they’re hitting the cover off the ball. It’s easy to believe Tom Holland is the best Spider-Man when he turns in a great acting performance. It’s easy to believe God loves you when you wake up smiling each day because you love your life.

But what about when your belief seems contrary to reality?

Maybe you’ve heard the story of Jesus walking across the stormy water of the Sea of Galilee, and his disciple Peter wanting to walk out on the surface to meet him. It’s unclear why Peter wanted to copy Jesus’ walking on water. But what it is very clear is that Peter sunk when he focused on the adverse conditions around him and feared. He believed in Jesus until it seemed that Jesus couldn’t save him…he wasn’t convicted of his belief.

Are you convicted of your beliefs, or do you simply believe because it’s convenient? Do your convictions remain even throughout adversity, or do you start to lose belief when the storms of life brew?

What you need in the storms of life is something solid to believe in, to be convicted of, to stand on whatever may come. Jesus alone can give you that. And this Sunday at Crossroads, we’ll hear how he does so.

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?”

–Matthew 14:29–31

For meditation:

At times when my faith is weak, where do I turn for strength?

For prayer:

Dear Lord, you have power not only over a lake, not only over nature, but over all reality. Help me to understand that when my life is not as I’d like it to be, your love is still with me. Convict me of this reality. In your name I pray, amen.