Have I mentioned before that I love the beach? Yup, I absolutely love the beach. It’s where I find relaxation and solace. While I see the surface, I don’t take for granted how powerful it is, and all that’s below it. Truth be told, I’m fascinated by it. Whenever I stop for a while, I marvel at God’s work. I love the marine life below, and while I’m too terrified to actually go snorkeling or diving and be exposed to the creatures below, I’ve gone out on glass bottom boats where I can still see them up close.
Recently while I was at the shore with my daughter and explaining to her about the big waves and how God can calm even the biggest waves, she kept asking God to make them bigger. I tried to explain that God didn’t operate like that as a magician to make things happen. That explanation didn’t phase her, because it seemed she was getting what she was asking for, so her response was, ‘see, God is listening’. I just had to laugh because even in something so simple, God was showing Himself to her.
Then I had the opportunity to go to the shore without my daughter, which meant I could go further out in the water. I think I forgot to mention that since we’d been on vacation, it’s been very windy, so the waters have been especially rough and the waves were big. While I stood just on the shore, the waves seemed to easily want to knock me over. But I observed that those who were further in the water were jumping the waves and having fun, so of course, I ventured a little further, and got about waist deep in the water. When the waves came in, I was able to easily jump the waves. I started thinking how to apply that to my own faith journey.
I’m finding that as I go deeper in God’s word and will for my life, I’m able to withstand more. As I’m digging deeper, it seems my roots are taking firmer hold in God’s truths. It doesn’t mean that things don’t come my way to attempt to knock me over, it just means that I’m able to withstand a little better. My challenges have not magically disappeared, I still have many moments of self-doubt and wonder what am I really doing. But in those moments, I know where to turn, and when I forget, a passage comes to mind. I’ve realized that for each part of this journey, my passages have either been different or intertwined into something I’ve learned before.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for rest and clarity. Thank you that I am able to take deep breaths knowing that your plans for me are better than I can come up with on my own. Thank you for allowing me to go deeper so that I can withstand better.