Above the waves, a sturdy trust in God

By Elaina Simpson, C.S. In the October 12, 2026 Issue of the Christian Science Sentinel

Imagine you’re on a wooden fishing boat in the middle of a stormy sea. It’s dark, and wild waves surround you as far as you can see. To add to your angst, it now looks like there’s a ghost walking toward you across the water. 

This is what the disciples experienced and felt just before Jesus said to them, “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.” Peter responded, essentially, “If it’s really you, tell me to come out to you on the water,” to which Jesus replied, “Come.” This story of Jesus and Peter walking on the storm-stirred waves of the Sea of Galilee (see Matthew 14:22–32) can be helpful when we need and want to feel more peace and see healing in our lives.

To get the most out of the Bible, I find it helpful to consider that it was written for each one of us in all times. Thinking of it as a love letter written for each of us, we can picture ourselves in the shoes of the disciples or the prophets, asking, “Could I really do what was asked of these people and trust with as deep a sincerity as they did? If Christ Jesus had asked me to walk out onto those waves, would I have kept my eye on the Christ, Truth, or gotten pulled down mentally by doubts and fears?” 

When scaling heights, you may have heard the saying, “Don’t look down!” In effect, that’s what Peter did. “But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” Jesus’ thoughtful encouragement buoyed Peter’s thought up to where it needed to be—above the waves.

As I have thought about this Bible story, it has struck me that the Sea of Galilee could represent fear, a characteristic of the mortal, material sense of things that Christian Science terms mortal mind. In this case, mortal mind takes the form of that sinking doubt that would have us buy into the fear that something other than God has power. However, “we have the mind of Christ” (I Corinthians 2:16). We are that perfect expression of Mind, where fear and doubt can’t rob us of our faith. Christ, the spiritual idea of God and the world’s only true healer, asks us to see the metaphysical truth that brings spiritual understanding, and therefore healing. Christ, our Savior, gives us the humility and faith to stay sturdy and strong in our trust in God, good.

So, when we’re tempted by waves of fear and doubt, what can we do? Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, writes, “Jesus taught us to walk over, not into or with, the currents of matter, or mortal mind” (Unity of Good, p. 11). Mrs. Eddy always brings it all back to our thinking. She also writes in her poem “Christ My Refuge,”

And o’er earth’s troubled, angry sea         I see Christ walk, And come to me, and tenderly,          Divinely talk.

Thus Truth engrounds me on the rock,          Upon Life’s shore, ’Gainst which the winds and waves can shock,          Oh, nevermore! 

(Poems, p. 12)

Jesus always instructed us not to be afraid—and also not to be impressed by the testimony of the physical senses, which is all a distraction from the spiritual good that God is always giving us. Gratitude for the blessings in our lives dissolves fear as we look up in our prayer to the nowness of Christ and keep our focus right there. 

After the birth of one of my children, I experienced strange pains and discomfort in my abdomen. In the routine follow-up postpartum appointment, the medical professionals who oversaw my pregnancy did not believe it was connected to the pregnancy but were perplexed and could not diagnose the problem. Praying along the way, I was finding moments of peace, but after several weeks, it wasn’t getting better, and I was tempted to worry that something bad was happening. It seemed as if my prayer wasn’t helping. 

One day, however, while listening to an audio recording of the chapter “Fruitage” (letters from early readers of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mrs. Eddy sharing their healings and gratitude), a passage caught my attention almost as if it had been read with a megaphone. The writer remarked, “The truth of man’s spiritual being dawned on my consciousness. I realized I was not subject to mortal laws, as I had been taught all my life” (p. 691). Being completely spiritual, I realized, we are above supposed mortal laws and are subject only to God and His law of good. The abdominal pains and discomfort stopped right then and never returned. 

In both of my postpartum experiences, I had to pray to stay above what felt like a strong undertow of postpartum anxiety and fear. Knowing that as God’s loved idea, I didn’t need to fear or experience suffering, I found dominion over this. I saw how my thoughts impacted my experience, and I truly was freed from mortal laws suggesting that women have to suffer during what should be a very joyful time in their lives. I knew that nothing could steal my joy as God’s daughter. God, good, is the only power—not fear or doubt. I had already decided that I wouldn’t consent to fear or doubt, but now I started to really experience what it was like to live that prayer. 

Peter experienced firsthand how Christ’s power lifts us above the belief that there is any reality or power in mortal, material laws. This is what Jesus seemed to be teaching him when he said, “Come.” Similarly, we too can come to the understanding that our experience is defined by spiritual laws of good, not material, mortal laws. No more drowning in material laws, just trying to keep our head above water with shaky prayer. Our sturdy, firm trust in God keeps us above the currents of mortal mind. 

Mrs. Eddy writes: “Jesus walked on the waves, fed the multitude, healed the sick, and raised the dead in direct opposition to material laws. His acts were the demonstration of Science, overcoming the false claims of material sense or law” (Science and Health, p. 273). Christian Science heals completely independently of material laws. Rather than trying to fix or change a life that is mortal, we find we have always been God’s spiritual expression, free from matter-based, so-called laws. We feel—and are—safe and assured in the love of God. 

Mrs. Eddy also writes, “You must utilize the moral might of Mind in order to walk over the waves of error and support your claims by demonstration” (Science and Health, p. 455). 

As Peter learned, we each have the ability to rise above the waves of fear and doubt. Each of us can feel the dominion that comes from denying that we are subject to material laws. The Christ calls us forward to do this in our prayers. Christ says, “Come,” and assures us we can do it.

Elaina

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