Fear - Breakaway Devotionals 2026 - Wednesday
Read Matthew 14:22-33
In this passage, the disciples had some good reasons to be experiencing fear:
They had a long day of ministry and were tired.
Jesus was not with them; He’d gone off alone to pray.
They were in their boat far from shore, and a severe storm came.
Winds and waves buffeted the boat to where the disciples feared drowning.
And the last straw—they think they saw a ghost!
If you are familiar with the story, “the ghost” they saw was Jesus coming toward them on the water.
Even while Jesus prayed, He knew exactly where His disciples were and what they needed. He went to them immediately! But notice He did not calm the storm.
Peter, dear impetuous Peter, decided this was a good time to exercise his faith and told Jesus to call him to walk on the water. Jesus simply replied, “Come.”
So, Peter did. At least for a few steps. Remember, the winds are still whipping around, and the sea churns with waves; light is dawning, but it’s still rather dark out. It didn’t take Peter long to realize these were threatening circumstances, and perhaps he questioned, “What am I doing?”
When his focus shifted from Jesus to the situation he was in, he began to sink.
As Peter cried out to the Lord to save him, Jesus immediately reached out His hand to Peter.
What situation in your life is tempting you to take your eyes off Jesus and succumb to fear, worry, or anxiety?
One way to deal with fear is to meditate on a passage of Scripture. If you know how to worry, you know how to meditate. Worrying looks at things from every angle, thinking of what may or may not happen. Meditating on Scripture means we also look at it from every angle. We read the verse repeatedly, emphasizing different words or phrases each time, considering how we’ve seen that truth lived out in our lives and pondering what God may ask of you today.
Let’s try this with Matthew 11:38: “Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden. And I will give you rest.”
Come to me . . . I have to make the move.
Come to me . . . Jesus is the direction in which we need to move.
Come to me all you . . . Even if I don’t feel like Jesus means me, He does! I am part of all.
Come to me, all you who are weary . . . Yep, that’s me alright—I am tired to the bone.
Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden . . . Work, disability, insurance, family, finances, church, and the list of burdens goes on.
Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I . . . Oh, now we’re getting to the good part – when I make the move toward Jesus, He will respond!
Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will . . . It’s a promise! Jesus doesn’t lie.
Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you . . .I don’t have to do anything else but come; He will give to me, free of charge.
Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest . . . Ah, rest! That’s what I need. Not just a nap, but deep soul rest. To know that even if the circumstances don’t change and life is chaotic, Christ anchors me with his sweet presence and rest.
Your turn! Choose a scripture that comforts you and try meditating on it. You’ll be in good company with the Psalmist who wrote, “When anxiety was great within me, your comforts delight my soul.” Psalm 94:19.
Devotional written by Joan Borton for Breakaway Family Camp - A ministry of Lift Disability Network
Follow along with the camp's daily devotionals HERE.