Waves

I just spent some time in one of my favorite places with a sweet friend. It is one of the things I look most forward to each summer. It's a small beach town in MI. We walk around town with coffee in hand, walk the pier, sit at the beach all day (weather permitting) read, play games, talk and just rest. In some ways, it is life giving - both the rest and the company.

Here's the thing though ... you never know what the beach is going to give you each day. On a good summer we've had sun the entire time. But often, you just don't know what the weather is going to do. This summer was no exception. One day it was calm and quiet. The water was so still you could see deep down and watch the fish swim.

No waves, no wind ... just stillness. Peaceful - calm - quiet.

The next day something blew in, literally! The waves were crazy and splashing up onto the pier such that it was covered in water in some places. If you walked too close to the edge, you were bound to get wet. The wind was blowing and it was "cold" on the beach. 

Lots of waves, windy ... noisy, unsettled. 

A week later, I am pondering the difference between the two and how it is much like life. We go through times where our lives are calm and peaceful, like the stillness of the beach on a quiet, still night. Then there are times where life hits us like an out of control wave and knocks us down. It catches us in the undertow, drags us away and we struggle to get out from under it.

Lately, it seems like I've been hit more with waves than the calmness of a quiet lake. When I feel like I was getting a foothold on the undertow, another wave would hit me. Like the disciples I have cried out in fear (OK, and in anger, frustration, etc) but God has not chosen to calm the storm yet. Or not in the way He did for them - speaking and the waves stopped. 

Here is a difference I see - even in the midst of the storm and crashing waves, we are able to see deep down (like seeing fish in the calm waters) and see the One holding us, giving us strength, and giving us peace, that at the time we can't understand. Why? Because Jesus IS the calm in the storm, He CALLS to the waves and they stop still. In OUR weakness, He is our strength.

My joy is anchored in Jesus - not my life's circumstances. I can't control much. But I have to choose to rest in His arms during the storm, wait on Him to heal and grow me through the storms He is allowing, and come to Him with my questions, anger, hurts and desires .... and let Him take them on and give me peace.

We must choose to release our problems and choose to replace our thoughts - you know, the ones we replay in our minds, stress over and allow Satan to put there. 

I stole this:  grapes vs glass - each responds differently to a hammer. Hit glass, and shards of glass will cut and hurt you and others. Hit a grape with a hammer and out comes juice. 

I confess, often times lately, I have been glass, but desire to be the grape.