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| Praying Through the Storms of Life |
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Greetings!
This past week, I sailed across the Santa Barbara Channel to Santa Cruz Island and thought I was going to die! We left the harbor under good weather expecting to encounter bad weather ... and we did. In fact, the National Weather Service issued a "gale force warning" for the duration of the two-day sail.
On the first leg over, the sea raged with ten foot swells and steady winds over 25 miles per hour with gusts up to 40 miles per hour. Additionally, the north to south crossing required us to be perpendicular to the west wind. As a result, we were sailing with the boat at about a 50% angle while the swells struck the side of the boat. I thought I was going to die, not from fear, but from those crazy swells.
In the middle of it all ... God's manifest glory as exhibited in the ocean, sailing the boat, and my pain, I had one question running through my mind, "What is God trying to say in this situation?" I reviewed options, came up with blanks but I knew something was there. I stared at the waves and watched the water dance off whitecaps, hit the wind and instantly change to vapor. I thought, "The waves seemed to have no direction, no purpose, and no reasoning except to make my life unpleasant - they are getting blown all over the place by the wind." That was it. That was my lesson!
As followers of Jesus, we are not promised smooth sailing, a lack of trials, or pain-free status. In fact, the Bible tells us otherwise ... we will face trials, persecution, and tribulation but, through Jesus, we will make it. Our job is to trust in the plan of God and have faith in the God of the plan. Our task is to seek God's face in trials and circumstances we cannot understand to see what He is saying and to learn our response.
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Praying through trials and to God's peace
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
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How do we "Count it all Joy"?
In order for followers of Jesus to "count it all joy" we have to be people of great faith and prayer. No matter the circumstance we face, our God is teaching, providing wisdom, dispensing grace and aiding the humble heart. Our task is to pray and seek His thoughts and His wisdom with our faith. Trouble occurs when we pray and lose faith in the process and in our God!
When I was sailing, I needed to trust the construction of the boat (boat, sails, rigging, etc.), my mates and crew, and have faith in God's protection and provision. Without trust, I would attempt to do it myself. Without faith, fear would creep in and steal the moment. Yet, when trust and faith combined, I was able to see the situation for what it really was ... an opportunity for God to speak, comfort and teach. It was a rich moment.
As the boat crested atop 10 foot waves and then dipped down in the trough of the waves, so did my stomach. We sat, we sailed and watched the waves as they were tossed about by the wind. As the waves were tossed so was our boat. t was difficult to hold course and an unpleasant ride.
It all seemed so random. One moment a wave was headed to swell and then the wind would grab it and it would crash and close sending sea spray and mist everywhere. Moments later another wave would swell and water would be picked off the top by the gusting wind and vaporized. Yet, another wave would simple roll through. It was intense. The point being, these waves were not in control. The wind was in control. When it blew steady, the waves were consistent and steady but when the wind raced the waves were driven haphazardly and confused ... they were unstable.
In the teaching of James 1, the waves represent a person confused by doubt. The wind of the enemy is tossing them around and their life is confused and inconsistent. The remedy is found by seeking God and responding to His instruction with confidence, faith and trust.
Friend, don't behave like the waves "driven and tossed by the wind" of doubt. Rather, have faith in our Great God and His hands of protection, provision and peace. Remember, God has promised to never "leave you or forsake you". So, leave the "winds of doubt" behind you and press into the wisdom and peace only found in God. Come to your Holy and Awesome God as you are - a humble child in need. Come in faith and not doubting and God will answer in power and with peace. Ask, Seek, Knock and He will open the windows of Heaven over your life!
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For King and Kingdom,
Randy Martin |
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