Out of Your Depth? How God Meets Us in Our Struggles

Description: Feeling out of your depth? You're not alone. Discover how God helped Moses and Peter in their most challenging moments, and how he helps us.

Introduction

Have you ever felt like life has thrown you into a situation where you’re completely out of your depth? If so, you’re in good company. Even some of the greatest figures in the Bible, like Moses, found themselves feeling overwhelmed and lost. But what’s fascinating is how these moments of despair often became powerful opportunities for growth and for God to reveal his faithfulness in unexpected ways.

Moses: weighed down and out of his depth

One of the most striking examples of feeling out of one’s depth can be found in the life of Moses. Despite his intimate relationship with God, Moses wasn’t immune to doubt, fear, or exhaustion.

At a critical moment in the wilderness, the Israelites – having been miraculously freed from slavery in Egypt – started to grumble. The issue wasn’t starvation, but discontent with the food God provided. The daily manna was no longer enough. They clamoured for meat. With complaints spiralling, Moses found himself listening to grumbles from every family. Not surprisingly, this became too much to bear. The weight of leading such a massive and rebellious nation was grinding him down (Numbers 11:10).

Moses challenges God

In his despair, Moses turned to God, but not with quiet resignation. Instead, he openly questioned what he had done to deserve the overwhelming burden of these people. He lamented his own weakness and limitations, asking God why this task had been given to him. Moses was brutally honest about his feelings – he simply didn’t have the strength or resources to continue (Numbers 11:11-15).

God’s response? He didn’t condemn Moses for his feelings but instead provided help. God instructed Moses to gather seventy elders from Israel to share the burden of leadership (Numbers 11:16-17). Yet, even after God had promised to provide meat for the people, Moses struggled to believe this would be possible. He couldn’t fathom how God could deliver such a miracle in the middle of a desert (Numbers 11:21-22).

God's miraculous provision

Despite Moses’ doubts, God demonstrated his power in a dramatic way. A wind brought quail from the sea, so many they covered the ground for miles around, piling up about 90 centimetres deep. For two days and a night, the Israelites gathered more quail than they could possibly eat – each person collecting about 1.6 metric tonnes of meat (Numbers 11:31-32).

God had proven once again that nothing is impossible for him. However, the story also carried a warning. Many of the Israelites who greedily consumed the meat were struck down by a plague. Their complaints, ingratitude, and lack of trust in God had consequences.

Peter: a New Testament struggle

The theme of feeling out of one’s depth isn’t limited to the Old Testament. A New Testament example can be found in the life of Peter. One of the most well-known instances of Peter’s struggle came when he attempted to walk on water (Matthew 14:22-33).

After seeing Jesus walking on the Sea of Galilee, Peter, in an act of bold faith, asked to join him. Jesus invited him to step out of the boat. Initially, Peter did the impossible – he walked on water toward Jesus. But as soon as he noticed the strength of the wind and the height of the waves, fear overwhelmed him. He began to sink and cried out for Jesus to save him.

Peter, like Moses, had moments of strong faith, but also deep doubts. His focus had shifted from Jesus to the storm around him, and he’d quickly found himself struggling out of his depth – both physically and spiritually. But just as with Moses, God responded. Jesus immediately reached out, took hold of Peter, and lifted him to safety, asking why he had doubted.

Guidance for Christians today

Both Moses and Peter faced moments when they felt utterly out of their depths. Their experiences provide valuable guidance of particular relevance in today’s pressured society:

1. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed. Neither Moses nor Peter were condemned for their doubts or struggles. In fact, they were encouraged to be honest with God about their feelings. We, too, can come before God in complete honesty, knowing that he listens and understands.

2. God doesn’t abandon us in our struggles. When Moses doubted, God provided practical help through the seventy elders. When Peter began to sink, Jesus immediately reached out to save him. God may not always solve our problems in the way we expect, but he is always there, ready to guide and support us.

3. Faith requires trust, even in the impossible. Whether it’s providing meat in the desert or walking on water, God calls us to trust him beyond what seems possible. Both Moses and Peter were stretched beyond their comfort zones, and through their experiences, they learned more about God’s power and faithfulness.

4. Learning to refocus on God, not the problem. Just as Peter faltered when he focused on the storm instead of Jesus, we can often lose sight of God when life becomes overwhelming. These moments call us to refocus our faith, remembering that God is in control, no matter how impossible the situation seems.

Conclusion

When we find ourselves feeling out of our depth, remember it’s not a sign of weakness or failure. Instead, it can be an opportunity for growth and a deeper relationship with God. Like Moses, we can learn to trust that God can provide even when it seems impossible. Like Peter, we can take courage from knowing that even when we falter, Jesus is always ready to reach out and pull us up.

Ultimately, being out of our depth isn’t something to fear. It’s often in those very moments that God reveals his power and faithfulness most clearly.