HOW WELL DO YOU DO WHEN UNEXPECTED OBSTACLES APPEAR?
"Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, 'Peace, be still!' And the wind ceased and there was a great calm." Mark 4:39Life is full of many bolts from out of the blue. That can be a good thing or at times, it can be a nightmare that creates a rocking sailboat to take a dive in the high waves of diversity and danger. It can be a great happening to be surprised or it can be a super-depressing incident that throws you a curve ball where you find yourself wobbling over waves and where it becomes increasingly more difficult to maintain your steady course and harmonic rhythm. It makes you nervous, causing seasickness to overcome you from time to time. Give up - NEVER!
What does a person do when their little sailboat takes an unexpected dive into the high waves of doubt and discouragement? Go to pieces? Well, it is always easy to go that route - when we lose the control and find ourselves far from the helm of reasoning; panic often becomes a real option to the immediate dilemma. However, what other things could a person do to steady the course and end up smooth sailing again? Freeze in place till the waves calm down? Not necessarily. We always have alternative choices. Life does not have to stump us. We need to be ready to turn to our great source of strength. Remember, Jesus calmed the seas by gently speaking to them. What happened? They subsided and that stopped the disciples from being scared. Just like that, Jesus lifted his arms and told the seas to become calm - and they did - immediately!
Why don't we turn to our powerful source of strength sooner than we do? Why do we learn most lessons by hindsight? How disturbing this must be to Almighty God. The Lord has given us every single tool we need to sail through life feeling safe and being prepared. We are the ones who cause life's hassles to corner us and we are usually the ones who create most of the panic that happens inside of us. The Bible shows us over and over again how to lean on the Lord for our strength to get through troubled times or unexpected rough waters. Yet still, we tend to go to panic mode and forget so quickly who is in charge and watching over us. He is always aware of where we are and what unforeseen events have surfaced in our lives. If we keep looking toward Him we could easily step out of our sailboat and walk into the safe arms of Jesus waiting on the bouncing waves. We miss so many blessings by not attending to the affairs of our lives, as God would want us to. He waits patiently for us to learn to do this. He keeps tossing obstacles onto our path and into our boats to see if we will turn our direction to Him before panic sets in. He lovingly teaches us the same lesson over and over again.
When the waves roll high and the sailboat bounces back and forth do you find yourself in the water? Or do you quickly look to the Captain of your soul who immediately steadies the boat and brings order back into being? Do you tend to grab for the life jacket before you turn to the Lord? Do you want a fast answer or do you want to be tossed to and fro in the cold water till the Lord gets your attention? The choice is yours - it is always up to us to choose. Believe this is possible? The Bible confirms that Jesus is always there and a 'present help in time of trouble.' Nothing escapes Him - whether we are falling off the sailboat or calmly stepping over the obstacles that encounter us each day. He sees it all. He has an answer for all of it. Nothing is impossible when we put our trust in God.
So I bid you smooth sailing, but when the waves show up - look to your source of strength for answers. Should you head to shore quickly - ride the waves - hang on tighter to the Captain - or prepare for disaster? Whatever the answer, Jesus waits for your permission to perform the miracle needed right now. The answer is wise, safe, and always appropriate for your life at the moment. Remember, He has a wonderful plan for your life and whether that involves heartaches or headaches does not concern Him. Trust and obey and accept by faith and grace to go through it God's way and watch the results. There will be total and immediate satisfaction, even in the face of wicked storms and turbulent seas.
God never runs away in fear! He hears you as soon as you call for help. He promises He will do that - come to your aid immediately. He gives His angels charge over you to protect you. He is the awesome Creator of heaven and earth. He controls the powerful oceans and calms the dangerous seas. He is a God of order and commands that the winds obey Him. No one but God is in control of nature and how it acts. No one but God is in control of our lives even though Satan makes every attempt to defeat us - God always wins!
Will your anchor hold in the storms of life? Absolutely! Look to the Lamb of God to see you through each troubling moment and event life sends to you. Claim by faith the power of Jesus Christ - there is just something about that Name - JESUS! If you let Him be the Captain of your soul, you will always have smooth sailing in your little sailboar - so sail on ...
