There are seasons when obedience doesn’t feel peaceful—it feels exhausting. In John 6, the disciples find themselves rowing through strong winds and rough waters, doing exactly what Jesus told them to do, yet struggling all night long. Sometimes faith looks less like progress and more like persistence.
Straining against the wind
The disciples had already rowed three or four miles before they saw Jesus. This wasn’t a short struggle—it was long, tiring, and discouraging. The wind was against them, the water was rough, and every stroke of the oar felt harder than the last. Obedience didn’t remove the resistance; it placed them right in the middle of it.
Many of us know that feeling well. We’re doing what God asked, yet everything seems to push back. Progress feels slow, and exhaustion sets in. But the struggle doesn’t mean we’re outside God’s will—it often means we’re right where obedience has led us.
Obedience is the victory
The disciples didn’t stop rowing because they were tired. They didn’t quit because the waves were high. They kept paddling, not because it was easy, but because Jesus had sent them. Their faithfulness wasn’t measured by reaching the shore—it was measured by continuing forward.
Sometimes the greatest victory isn’t arriving on the other side, but staying faithful in the middle of the storm. Every stroke of obedience matters, even when it feels unseen.
When Jesus steps into the boat
John’s account tells us something remarkable: the moment Jesus entered the boat, they immediately reached the shore. How it happened isn’t fully explained—but what’s clear is that everything changed when Jesus stepped in.
The storm didn’t get the final word. Exhaustion didn’t decide the outcome. Jesus did.
There will come a moment when He says, “It’s time,” and what felt endless will suddenly be complete. Until then, faith looks like continuing to paddle, trusting that if He’s in the boat, He will get you where He’s called you to go.
