Doubting God, Wind and Waves

James 1:6b “…because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.”

          Lord, I used to go to the Laundromat and use the big front loader washers with the window in the front.  The clothes and water would spin in one direction and the water would slosh around.  Then it would stop and spin in the other direction, stop and spin in the first direction and the water would slosh around.  This took place several times until the cycle would end.  Then the tub would spin wildly to drain off that water, fill back up for the rinse and the process would start all over again.  I remember thinking once that sometimes I am like that in trial situations; going toward you first off, stopping and heading away, stopping going back toward you, stopping and going away again.

          As You know, Lord,  a boat on Lake Ontario can become a really rough place to be in when the wind picks up.  We’ve been there and also off the coast of Cocoa Beach Florida when the waves became quite great in size.  It’s funny how in those situations the boat does not just move up and down while going forward, but side to side as well, unless you go fast enough, but that’s another story.  The water actually becomes turbulent…much like that in the washing machine.  Sometimes the waves take you where you do not want to go at all if your motor dies!

          The rules of boating safety mirror Your wisdom in trials.  Keep the motor running, (if possible), and head straight into the oncoming waves so the boat does not get caught sideways and become in danger of capsizing.  Yes, water will break over the bow and you’ll get soaked unless your boat is enclosed, but you’ll reach your destination safe and sound most of the time.

          Sometimes the storm is enough to scare you a bit, sometimes it is like the ones we watch the crab boats endure on the Bering Sea!  Yikes!  My life is like that...minor inconveniences like being somewhere and having a dead battery in the car or being in the grocery store about to pay the cashier and finding I’ve left my wallet home.  Sometimes, the seas are a little rougher like finding you have not enough money to pay the rent or having the car taken away completely.  Rarely, though the storm is more like the Bering Sea ones where the life of a loved one hangs by a thread, or a son goes to war.

          Lord, I finally get it!  If I am in a trial, big or small, and I ask for wisdom, the Holy Spirit is like the motor on my boat!  As long as I trust and believe without doubting, unless I quench Him (turn the motor off), I can head straight into the waves of adversity and trial and my life will not capsize!  What a wonderful truth!  After all, You spoke, “Peace, be still.” and calmed the storm on the Sea of Galilee.

Thank You, Precious Lord!