So you're discouraged. Something in your life is eating at you, gnawing at your soul, keeping you up at night. If you've dealt with me on Twitter, you're well aware of my penchant for insomnia, and once I get going in the middle of the night about a problem, all bets are off on when (or if ) I'm going to fall asleep again.
If this is you, too, then I have a story for you ... the story about mean storm waves and a creature on the water.
The solution to your problem -- to every problem -- boils down to one word.
But before I give you that word, let's go through the tale. You will know this story already, but stay with me:
Picture guys in a boat on an open sea, and a storm sweeps up unexpectedly. The waves are terrifying and enormous and are overtaking the vessel.
Just when they think all hope is lost and that they will sink to their deaths, a figure appears on the water. It is bright and white, and light emanates from it. It moves across the waves, not flinching despite the sea's tumult. But the men can't make it out.
Finally, as it gets closer, they see this light is actually a man.
And they cry out in fear, thinking it's a ghost.
The man says, "Don't be afraid! It's me."
One of the guys in the boat is brash and strong. He's usually not afraid of anything and charges ahead into things without thinking. So he says to this ghostly looking creature, "If it's you, tell me to come out to you on the water."
And the creature says, "Come on out."
While the waves still press on the tottering boat, this guy puts a foot over the edge and into the water.
He is surprised when the sole of his foot feels like it has just hit solid wood, just like a floor. So he puts the other foot out, and to his astonishment, he stands up straight and doesn't sink. He believes the "creature" is now his buddy, so he walks towards him while the waves continue to crash and churn.
But just as he gets to within an arm's grasp of his friend's hand, his peripheral vision catches the waves.
See, although his friend has made it possible to walk on the sea as if it's dry land, the waves are still coming. And they're tall. And they're mean. And they're evil. And they're ominous. And they're freakin' terrifying.
Suddenly, the man is no longer focused on his friend, but he's now focusing on the waves -- and his fear takes over. The water beneath him becomes water again, and he starts to sink.
He screams, "Lord, save me!"
And his friend, Jesus, reaches over and grabs him and says, "Oh you. You have so little faith. Why did you doubt?"
Now what does this story have to do with your situation?
Everything.
The "waves" are your situation -- whatever it is that's keeping you up at night -- an unforgiving person, a divorce, a death, money problems -- what's your wave?
Sometimes you trust God and feel like you're walking on solid ground through the stormy sea. But then sometimes, like our guy in the story (by the way, his name if you don't know it was Peter), you start looking at those waves in spite of how God has helped you in the past.
Can waves be reasoned with? Can waves be controlled? Can waves be convinced to stop their attack?
You can't control the waves.
You can control your reaction to the waves.
The one word that will help you through all of this is:
Jesus.
Are you willing to call on His name to see you through this?
If this is you, too, then I have a story for you ... the story about mean storm waves and a creature on the water.
The solution to your problem -- to every problem -- boils down to one word.
But before I give you that word, let's go through the tale. You will know this story already, but stay with me:
Picture guys in a boat on an open sea, and a storm sweeps up unexpectedly. The waves are terrifying and enormous and are overtaking the vessel.
Just when they think all hope is lost and that they will sink to their deaths, a figure appears on the water. It is bright and white, and light emanates from it. It moves across the waves, not flinching despite the sea's tumult. But the men can't make it out.
Finally, as it gets closer, they see this light is actually a man.
And they cry out in fear, thinking it's a ghost.
The man says, "Don't be afraid! It's me."
One of the guys in the boat is brash and strong. He's usually not afraid of anything and charges ahead into things without thinking. So he says to this ghostly looking creature, "If it's you, tell me to come out to you on the water."
And the creature says, "Come on out."
While the waves still press on the tottering boat, this guy puts a foot over the edge and into the water.
He is surprised when the sole of his foot feels like it has just hit solid wood, just like a floor. So he puts the other foot out, and to his astonishment, he stands up straight and doesn't sink. He believes the "creature" is now his buddy, so he walks towards him while the waves continue to crash and churn.
But just as he gets to within an arm's grasp of his friend's hand, his peripheral vision catches the waves.
See, although his friend has made it possible to walk on the sea as if it's dry land, the waves are still coming. And they're tall. And they're mean. And they're evil. And they're ominous. And they're freakin' terrifying.
Suddenly, the man is no longer focused on his friend, but he's now focusing on the waves -- and his fear takes over. The water beneath him becomes water again, and he starts to sink.
He screams, "Lord, save me!"
And his friend, Jesus, reaches over and grabs him and says, "Oh you. You have so little faith. Why did you doubt?"
Now what does this story have to do with your situation?
Everything.
The "waves" are your situation -- whatever it is that's keeping you up at night -- an unforgiving person, a divorce, a death, money problems -- what's your wave?
Sometimes you trust God and feel like you're walking on solid ground through the stormy sea. But then sometimes, like our guy in the story (by the way, his name if you don't know it was Peter), you start looking at those waves in spite of how God has helped you in the past.
Can waves be reasoned with? Can waves be controlled? Can waves be convinced to stop their attack?
You can't control the waves.
You can control your reaction to the waves.
The one word that will help you through all of this is:
Jesus.
Are you willing to call on His name to see you through this?
