The wind is gusting, the waves are crashing, and the ship is rocking. The captain cannot see where he is going. During the storm, the combination of wind and rain make it impossible to see out the windows of the ship. Managing the direction of the vessel is impossible without instruments. Namely, one of the most important instruments for the captain of the ship is the compass. The compass does not fail. It directs the captain, regardless of the wind speed, the height of the crashing waves, or the pitching of the vessel, the compass directs the captain where to steer the ship.
Your phone rings, and your sister tells you she is sick, and the prognosis is not good. You are talking to your cousin, and he tells you he and his wife are getting a divorce. You get a text and one of your children tells you they are depressed and having a difficult time. You take your spouse to the doctor to find out they have a life-threatening illness and there is a slim chance of survival. The list goes on. The “storms” in our lives are real.
Navigating life can be like sailing a ship through a storm. There are many “battles and storms” for us to fight. Difficult situations come in the form of physical ailments and illness, marital challenges, emotional or mental issues, as well as financial challenges. All the while, we must navigate the decisions we make in the “middle of a storm” and decide which direction to “steer our ship.”
How do we make the right decision during times of the great turmoil? What is your compass? Where do you turn for advice or counsel during the “storms of life?”
The Bible is the perfect compass. The Word of God can be a compass that provides you confidence and solace “during the storm.” Yes, the storms are inevitable. We are all sinners, and we are going to make wrong choices daily. It is not a matter of if, but a matter of when the storms will happen. Relatives get sick. Our children and family have challenges. Life is not about preventing the storms but knowing how to “steer your ship” with confidence and assurance in the “rough seas.”
Today’s reading is from Hebrews 10:35-38 which says 35 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise. 37 For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry. 38 Now the just shall live by faith, but if anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him.
As a Christian, I continue to gain confidence that “God has got me.” I do not “cast away my confidence” because I am confident there is “great reward” in living my life as a believer in Christ. I have witnessed first-hand the impact a life following Christ has on families and individuals.
I am humbled by the impact Christ has had on my family. As one example, my grandfather was one of six children, and his father abandoned his family when my grandfather was a young boy. Unfortunately, we can all relate to sad family stories like this one. My grandfather grew up without a father figure and could have taken his life in many directions. He and my grandmother were the founding members of a Baptist church in Olney, IL and was a man who studied scripture and applied it to his life. He prayed regularly and set the example for our family to choose a life with Jesus. He could have ended up angry, bitter, and frankly could have continued the string of a bad father and bad husband. He chose not to. He was a God-fearing man that led his family to follow Jesus Christ. I believe he was a better man than his earthly father, because he believed in his Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ.
Following Jesus Christ does not reduce or rid us of the pain of life. Sins still conquer us. Emotions still overwhelm us. We make bad choices and must live with the consequences.
Scripture provides us comfort and confidence that we are loved, regardless of the severity of our sin. I live confidently knowing that I have a rudder and a compass during my storms, and I will “face the wind, the rain, and the waves” with a smile on my face knowing that my captain will direct me to safety.
Philippians 4:6-7 says 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
I encourage you to remember that our pain in life does not reflect a lack of presence of God. God’s goodness is not contingent on our circumstances. Our pain provides us opportunity to dive into the Word of God and seek to understand how a relationship with Christ can bring us peace and rest during the most impossible times. God wants us to choose to love Him. I encourage you to choose to follow Christ every day because when the storms hit, you will have an armor and confidence that you will carry you through it.
