“For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.”Psalms 107:25
The Bible says there’s nothing new under the sun, however, every day brings about a sundry of elements with which we must maneuver.
Today, my mind is pondering about the sails of a ship. We are probably all aware that the wind is needed for any ship to sail from one point to another successfully. Without the wind, an opposing force, the ship will just sit like a lame duck in water.
This opposing force could be detrimental, however, when the sails of the ship are adjusted, this opposing force becomes advantageous and thrusts the ship in the right direction.
Ahem...this is a big one for me. I’ll admit.
So many times we (or should I say “I”) quickly become overwhelmed and frazzled by the opposing forces in everyday life. It can be various things. People are affected differently depending upon the type of wind opposing them.
I’ve had several different issues just today which have made me have a knee-jerk reaction. The pool hose disconnected from the pump somehow and water is everywhere, my daughter is miles away and at the doctor in pain, I have no transportation to do what needs to be done (or what I’d like to do) today, etc. I’m not seeking pity or anyone to “fix” these issues; I’m just sharing how life can happen and it seems to take the wind out of our sails. What has it been for you today?
Also, today is Wednesday, and the first day of September which is an entirely different kind of wind of which I deal with on a regular basis - loss and grief. I add this because a some winds just require more effort to manage than others.
I woke up this morning not very inspired or ready to do life. Seriously? Yes, some days are like that. You know, the ones where you’d rather stay in bed? I got up anyhow and started my day in spite of the gnawing inside, because I know sometimes a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do, right?
As I began my day, I realized I was thinking more and more about this ship and sail theme. Let me first say, I’m NOT a nautical person, yet it seemed this kept nudging its way into my soul:
Adjust your sails!
I didn’t get it at first. Sometimes it takes a while to seep into the mush of my brain. So, I kept thinking about it until I finally had enough clarity to stop and share. Maybe it’s just for me, but somehow I feel like we all need to adjust our sails every so often, don’t we?
That opposing force, the stuff that is getting under our skin and seemingly driving us nuts and making life miserable, can be used to our advantage. True, it takes a lot of work and adjustments and we don’t always get it right immediately, we might even need assistance doing so, but if we can manage to turn our sails in the right direction, we can move ahead in spite of the opposition.
Opposition can become our greatest blessing, as it works on us to make us stronger.
Adjusting our sails can look a little bit like
•taking a time-out,
•stopping to take a deep breath of life-giving air (because how often do we hold our breath when we’re panicked?)
•recognizing the stuff which is opposing us,
•admitting our weakness, frustration and overwhelm,
•and then asking God to give us strength and a renewed perspective.
•Remembering God is ultimatum control of even the wind.
My friend, it’s so true that perspective changes everything. How often we let this slip our minds though. I’m guilty. I’m not saying I’m happy about the winds (circumstances) in my life today, but when I adjust the sails, I realize it could be much worse. It’s not what I would desire, but it’s better than other alternatives. For this very reason, I’m grateful and thankful to God for what He hasn’t allowed to blow into my day. Whatever comes our way, He isn‘t surprised and can use it for our good.
It’s just a simple thought, but I wanted to post it for somebody else out there who may be taking on water and fighting the winds — and for me to read this again later too. You see, I write, but that doesn’t mean I’ve conquered the course. It simply means I’m adjusting my sails a bit more right now in hopes of doing a little better the next time.
Contrary winds can help lead us toward God’s perfect will in our lives and help us become all we’re supposed to be for Him. Be encouraged today and let’s lean into the winds that threaten to knock us off course, and use them to and for our advantage. Sail onward!