When “If” Replaces Faith

There is something very interesting about Peter’s experience in today’s Gospel. His problem did not begin when he stepped out of the boat. His problem began with one little word: “If.” Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” Peter had already heard Jesus say, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Yet instead of simply trusting the word of Jesus, Peter introduced a condition: “If it is you.” Faith says, “Lord, because You have spoken, I will trust You.” Fear says, “Lord, prove Yourself first, and then I will trust You.” Peter wanted confirmation before commitment. He wanted Jesus to demonstrate His identity before he completely surrendered himself to Jesus' word. And Jesus nevertheless said, “Come.” Peter stepped out of the boat and, remarkably, began to walk on the water. As long as his attention was fixed on Jesus, he was doing what seemed impossible. But then something changed. The Gospel says, “But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened.” The wind had been there all along. Peter did not discover the wind when he began to sink. He discovered the wind when he took his eyes off Jesus. The storm did not suddenly become stronger; Peter suddenly became more conscious of the storm than of the Lord. This is often what happens in our lives. The problems were already there, but when our eyes move away from Christ, the problems suddenly become enormous. We begin to calculate everything that can go wrong. We hear the voices of fear louder than the voice of God. We begin with “if”: “If God really loves me, why is this happening? If God is with me, why am I suffering? If God has called me, why is everything so difficult?” There is nothing wrong with bringing our questions to God. But there is a danger when our questions become conditions for faith. We must not make our trust in God depend upon everything going according to our expectations. Peter's greatest mistake was not getting out of the boat. His greatest mistake was allowing the wind to become greater in his eyes than Jesus. How many “mighty winds” are we facing today? Perhaps it is a difficult family situation, uncertainty about the future, disappointment, loneliness, financial pressure, or concern for someone we love. The wind is real. Jesus does not pretend that the storm does not exist. But He asks us not to allow the storm to become greater than our confidence in Him. Peter eventually gives us the right prayer: “Lord, save me!” Notice the difference. He began with “If”, but he ended with “Lord, save me!” His faith moved from testing Jesus to trusting Jesus. And Jesus immediately stretched out His hand. That is the good news: our moments of weak faith do not make Jesus abandon us. Even when we take our eyes away from Him, His eyes remain fixed on us. Even when we begin to sink, His hand is already reaching toward us. Therefore, brothers and sisters, let us examine the “ifs” in our faith. Let us not say, “If You solve this problem, then I will trust You.” Instead, let us say, “Lord, even in this storm, I trust You.”