When you think of an Ocean what comes to mind?
Do you picture a beautiful vision of sandy beaches, crystal clear waters, just a peaceful site? I know most do….
Here is the thing, that vision most of us have…that’s the beach, not the Ocean.
The Oceans are bigger and there is more depth than we could ever imagine. They are full of wonders and mysteries some mysteries we may never figure out or ever understand. When you’re out on the water far enough out from the beach, you could look for miles and miles and see nothing but deep blue water. The oceans are so deep that some have said the depths are immeasurable.
Have you ever witnessed a storm in the middle of the ocean?
A storm in the middle of the ocean comes out of nowhere, clear skies than in a split second the skies turn dark, the lightning strikes, the thunder rolls, the water that was once peaceful, now shaken. The waves pick up speed, crashing into one another, dragging whatever was once floating along so peaceful and so content on the smooth waters below into the depths of it…
Have you ever felt like you were in the middle of the Ocean, in uncharted waters, floating along; then, all of a sudden, boom, a storm? The waves consume you, dragging you under, every time you feel like you could be safe and can take a breath, another wave comes crashing down. At that moment, you feel hopeless, you feel as though there is no possible way you can float again.
Well, you’re not alone!
We have all felt that way at some point; like we are never going to see the clouds roll away, the sunshine shine and once again float atop the peaceful waters. But I’m here to tell you, the storms always pass. There has never been an instance where there has been a continual storm; where the waves never returned to a peaceful state, and the skies never cleared, and the sun has never shined again. It will ALWAYS pass. I get the question a lot and even I have been guilty of asking “Why God, why am I going through this, why are You allowing this to happen to me?” Like the oceans, there is so much that is unexplained, and so much depth that we can never fully understand its contents or how things work together, or that many of those storms are in some way beneficial to their oceans.
Sometimes, I believe that God pulls us out into the depths of the ocean, away from the beautiful perfect beach’s border that we feel so safe and content at, into the deepest depths of the sea where it's unknown, uncharted, to help us strengthen our Faith. We are floating along in the peaceful waters; then, a storm hits. When we are caught in those storms, in the middle of the ocean, we are at our frailest, we are scared, we are worn down, we are broken, and we are in need of saving. We need a life preserver to help us and that is Christ. The storm somehow brings us back to Him. When we think we are so broken, and feel like giving up, and just drowning; Christ appears out of nowhere but miles of uncharted waters, reaches out to us and if we choose to grab hold, pulls us up out of the storm and holds onto us until the clouds part, the sun starts shining, and the waters calm.
It reminds me of Matthew 14:22-33, when the disciples were caught in a storm, scared and afraid, Jesus appeared to them in the middle of the sea. Jesus called to Peter and Peter climbed out of the boat into the waters to go to Him. Peter was going through the storm, winning against the storm, when he had his eyes on Jesus. However, in a split second, the minute that he took his eyes off the Lord, he started to sink and be consumed by the Ocean. In the depths of his fear and the storm he cried out to the Lord to save him and Christ simply reached out and grabbed hold of Peter saying: “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” Then, the storm calmed and the skies cleared.
I don’t know about you, but I know I have often doubted in those storms and allowed my faith to waver like Peter, instead, of keeping my eyes fixed on Christ and persevering through the crashing waters with Christ as my stronghold. That is not how I want to face the storms of life that I know will come in the future. I want to keep my eyes above the waves fixed on Christ, calling out to Him first and resting in His embrace knowing that He has got hold of me. Remembering that nothing can separate me from Him, no storm no matter how big and Trusting him to get me through.
How do you want to face the storms in the depths of the Ocean?
Are you going to be a Peter?
Or are you going to keep your eyes above the waves?
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
