Doing The Impossible Part 1

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. Matthew 14:27-29 NIV

Two years ago today I did something that I thought I would never have the faith to do. I walked into my boss’ office and gave my resignation for a job that most people would love to have. I had no real plan, no real savings, no real idea of what was going to be in store over the next two years. If I had known, I don’t know if I would have done it, but if I didn’t do it, I wouldn’t know that I could. I did something that I thought was impossible.
In the above scripture, Peter did something that he thought was impossible. He walked on water. Yet, he knew that if Jesus gave him the power to do it, then it was possible. Peter called out to Jesus and said that if it is Jesus who is calling out to them, then Peter would be able to do things that seemed impossible, like walking on the water. I can only imagine what that experience was like. There they are in the water with nothing but dim light, as it was right before dawn. The winds pick up and start to shake the boat, but suddenly they see a figure walking on the water. They thought is was a ghost, but Jesus tells them not to be afraid. Peter, the bold one, knows that the only way to be sure that it was Jesus is to ask for something that seems impossible and then do it. Jesus answers his request, and Peter walks on water.
When I got the feeling that it was time for me to quit my job, I wasn’t sure that it was God leading me. Things started to happen all around me: changes in management, dissatisfaction with my work, frustration about not helping the people I wanted to help, apathy about production, less energy, recession, all types of things. I even had dreams about it for months. The feeling started to get stronger and stronger until I knew I had to do something. I waited and waited, but finally decided that if God was calling me to do this, then things would just work out. So I quit.
The things that happened to me after I quit would seem impossible to most people. They seemed impossible to me! I never would have thought that I would be able to have an office and it not cost me any out of pocket money. I never would have thought that I would have been given a chance to take a month long vacation in a foreign country. I never would have thought that while making 80 percent less than what I previously made that I would still be in my house. I never would have thought that I would have been able to write a book and get a nationally known speaker to write the foreward. I never would have thought that I would be able to still pay for my car and be only 4 payments away from complete payoff (Hallelujah!!!) I never would have thought that I would have been able to say that God did all of this without giving me more money. He actually took it away! But one thing I do know is that it was Jesus who was calling me.
These two years have taught me many lessons. One of them is that sometimes we have to step out to do something before we are sure that God is the one calling us to do it. Sometimes actually stepping out is the only way we know that God is the one calling us to do the impossible. We don’t always get the confirmation until we get out of the boat. But if you think that it might be Jesus calling you in the midst of your boat being shaken, then maybe you should get out. Peter did. I did. And now I know for sure that it was Jesus calling me. There is no way that I would have been able to do what I have done these last two years if it wasn’t him. So do yourself a favor: If you think Jesus is calling you, step out and see. His sheep always know his voice.