When Your Faith Begins to Sink, Look to Jesus

When your faith begins to sink, it can be tempting to hide from God or decide you have gone too far to ask for help. Peter's story gives you a better response: turn to Jesus and call to Him. In this episode of How to Become a Water Walker, Andrew Wommack teaches that keeping your attention on Jesus matters in hardship and in seasons when life is going well.

What should you do when your faith begins to sink?

Peter had already stepped out of the boat and walked on the water. Then he saw the wind, became afraid, and began to sink. Matthew 14:30-31 (NKJV) says, “But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, ‘Lord, save me!’ And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’”

Peter's first response was to call to Jesus. He did not turn away in shame or look to the other disciples to rescue him. He reached for the Lord, and Jesus immediately caught him.

Peter’s moment gives us a pattern for any area where fear is taking over. Sickness, fear of not having enough, a relationship, or another crisis can press on us, but Jesus remains the One to look to. Hebrews 12:2 (NKJV) says, “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” The writer directs our attention to Him, who begins and completes our faith.

When Peter called, Jesus reached out His hand and caught him. The Lord is near when fear rises, and you can turn to Him as soon as you recognize your need.

Looking to Jesus keeps fear from taking over

Believers have Christ’s life within them. First John 4:4 says that He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world. This gives us a reason to face a crisis with confidence in the Lord, even when the situation feels overwhelming.

That confidence is not based on a person's ability to control every circumstance. Peter's confidence came from the word Jesus had given him. When the wind caught his attention, fear began to displace that confidence. Keeping your attention on Jesus means remembering what He has said and trusting His character while you act on His Word.

Jesus has made provision for believers. Second Corinthians 8:9 (NKJV) says, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” Fear of poverty can pull attention away from what Christ has provided.

You can bring the needs you face to the Lord and keep your heart attentive to Him. The circumstances deserve an honest response, but fear does not have to become your guide. Peter's example turns us back toward Jesus, the one who is present and able to help.

Jesus is the One who heals your body, and He has made provision for you. When people have never heard what God says about healing or provision, they may have nothing to look toward except pain, a doctor’s report, or fear about meeting their needs. God’s Word gives you a reason to keep your attention on Jesus in those moments.

Why is success a time to keep seeking God?

It is natural to seek the Lord when trouble presses in. Prosperity and success can also make a person vulnerable, because comfort can dull the desire to seek God. Fellowship with the Lord belongs in good seasons as well as difficult ones.

Hardship can drive people to pray, fast, study the Word, and seek the Lord. When life is going well, the same urgency can fade. Andrew points to the church growing under persecution and becoming sleepy in times of prosperity. Ease can draw our attention toward what we have achieved and away from the Lord who has sustained us.

David’s life shows how success can change a person’s attention. While Saul pursued him, David trusted God and refused to take revenge, even when Saul was within reach and others said he could justly take the kingdom. David sought God, wrote psalms, and put his life on the line rather than seize what he believed God would give him.

Later, when David was established as king, he stayed in Jerusalem at the time kings went to battle. He rose from his bed in the evening, saw Bathsheba, took her, and arranged for her husband Uriah to die in battle. David had set the kingdom in order and delegated the battle, but his success left him idle. The shift in his circumstances came with a shift in how he spent his time and attention.

Seeking God in prosperity keeps your heart turned toward Him. Success can bring ease, but communion with God remains essential. A life of faith depends on Him in every season.

Jesus helps when you recognize you need Him

Peter’s attention moved from Jesus to the wind, and fear followed. The disciples in the boat were not responsible for his choice. Jesus had called Peter, and when Peter cried out, Jesus reached for him.

Adam and Eve hid after they sinned, covering themselves with fig leaves. God came to them and clothed them. When you recognize that you have moved away from the Lord, call to Him and return to fellowship with Him.

Jesus caught Peter with His hand. Peter was close enough for the Lord to reach him as he began to sink. When you see fear taking your attention, Jesus is near and ready to help as you call to Him.

If success has made you less attentive to God, or fear has made you feel distant from Him, turn to Him now. The Lord receives the person who calls out and helps them get back on their feet.

Keep seeking God when life is going well

Peter began to sink when he was within reach of the destination. David’s failure came when success had made him idle. Both examples show why seeking God belongs in the moment of rescue and in the season when life feels settled.

When fear draws your attention away, Peter’s cry still gives you the next step: call to Jesus.

This post draws from How to Become a Water Walker, Episode 9 by Andrew Wommack. Watch the full teaching on YouTube.