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There Is Hope

There Is Hope

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Young Or Old

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by Jacob Herald

Young or old, we all experience the pressures that come with living in a modern society. Pressure to succeed or impress is one such instance, society is constantly telling us that we are not enough, despite the fact that the Bible tells us otherwise. Peer pressure is another example, constantly pushing us away from God’s intended path for our lives, and pushing us to try dangerous actions for the approval of our friends. However, we must realize that at the core of our Christian walk, we are called to be different and separate from the sinful forces of this world.

Now, let me be clear that being different is not necessarily going against the rules. Breaking the rules does

not make you different, it makes you rebellious. Being different is taking a stand for something and not giving into the pressures of the world. That is to say, standing firm in your beliefs, standing strong for Christ, and showing a light into the darkness. This is not an easy path but it is worth every second of the journey.

Matthew 14:22-32 tells us the story of Jesus standing on the water in the midst of a mighty storm. Jesus asks Peter to step out onto the waters and come towards him, but when Peter begins to doubt, he finds himself sinking beneath the waves.

“Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he 38 // September 2021

dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. ‘It’s a ghost,’ they said, and cried out in fear.

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. 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?’ And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down” (Matthew 14:22-32). Scientifically speaking, the deeper you are in the ocean, the greater the pressure of the water is around you. When Peter’s faith began to slip, the pressure around him became greater as the waters surrounded him, threatening to pull him deeper and deeper. Perhaps you have hit a spot where you feel like you have lost some of your faith and slipped beneath the waves. The pressure around you is getting greater as you sink further and further. However, this is where God calls for you to be different! Take a stand, have faith, and do what you know to do! Christ is standing on the waters, stretching forth his hand.

In short, do not let the pressure get to your head. Take a stand. It is going to be okay.

About The Author

Jacob Herald is a Christian constantly seeking to grow in the Lord. He is a member of Herald Family Ministries, an evangelistic family who travels the U.S. working for the Lord through preaching, singing, and outreach, and has found his calling as a writer and speaker for Christ.

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