When the disciples saw Him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. - Matthew 14:26

Have you ever had some unexpected event happen in your life that caused great fear? Sudden calamities can result in great fear unless we know Who is behind the event. Such was the case for the disciples when they were out in their boat at night. Suddenly, they saw a figure walking on the water and assumed it was a ghost. They feared for their very lives. But as the figure got closer and closer, they could see that it was Jesus. Their fear turned to joy because now they knew whom they were confronting. This seemingly life-threatening event turned into one of the great miracles of the Bible. Peter was invited to walk on the water -- and he did just that.

Many times we have events in our lives that appear to be ghosts.

For me, it was a period in my life when I experienced family loss, loss of my finances, and 80 percent of my business -- all in a matter of a few months. These were the ghosts that instilled fear and great turmoil in my life. But after two years in this desert experience, God revealed His true purposes for these events. He turned them from being a place of fear, to a place of miracles. He led me to a totally new calling in my life, and He demonstrated to me that He was behind the storm that led to these new discoveries. The events were real. The emotions I went through were real. I had to hold fast to the reality that nothing can touch us without passing through God's sifter. He allows only that which is necessary to touch us. And if it does, it has a purpose. But we may not know it for a while.  

Are there some "ghosts" in your midst? Look beyond the appearance and let God turn your ghosts into a miracle.   

(Today God Is First (TGIF) devotional message, Copyright by Os Hillman, Marketplace Leaders.)