You won’t know until you get out of the Boat
Choices in life are not easy. Especially if you are paired up with another and need to come in agreement on a difficult decision that is before you.
God has given us ways to help us make the best choices in our life’s journey. He has given us His Word, Godly counsel through relationships with possibly family, friends, Pastors etc.
Sometimes we are confronted with some very difficult choices. People can gives us their advice. We can pray about it and seek God but finally we have to step out and make a decision one way of the other.
One thing that has helped me over the years when facing hard decisions is the comfort in knowing that God has my back. Even if I don’t make the best decision at that time He will turn the outcome around for my best.
How can I have that confidence? Because I have seen it proven over and over again in my life.
At one point a decision needed to be made whether to move our family of 3 out of the state or not? My ex-husband wanted to be closer to his mother in Oregon to help her out, which meant leaving my family and friends in California. We were in a thriving church, actually in the middle of a revival in the 80’s. We were leaders of a growing Home Group. I didn’t want to go but my husband did.
I struggled with the decision for a long time. A sister in the Lord gave me some great advice.
She said, “Even if it’s not God’s highest for you He will use it for your good.“ She encouraged me by reminding me that I was being scriptural in following my husband and that God would honor that obedience.
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 NIV
That helped me to let go and put my trust in Jesus along with giving me a confidence in believing that He had my back. We uprooted and moved to Medford.
Come to find out his mother really didn’t need us there. We joined up with our neighbor’s small 6 person church which met in their house. We had little money, 1 car, no heat in the house other than the fireplace. This was during the summer into the winter months. I felt very isolated.
Many times I cried out to the Lord for comfort but I wasn’t hearing Him like I did during the power of the revival in California.
My husband was gone a lot working. The only bright side was I had the opportunity to not work and stay home with my little girl, Jessica. She was my delight! I got to pick her up from school and spend wonderful quality time with her at home. That was a time to treasure. I can still see us snuggling up on the coach, wrapped in 1 big blanket watching afternoon TV. There I found life.
Spiritually however I felt like I was dying in a desert with no water to be found. I searched and searched the scriptures to find my Lord. As I searched I was learning more and more about Him and others in the Bible that also searched for Him.
We moved back to California 6 months later. Was this choice a failure or a success? On the outside it seemed like it was the wrong choice. We had to start over with jobs etc. But God used it so mightily in my life.
I learned how to find Him in the depths of trials when He was seemingly no where to be found. He was able to build in me a strong Biblical foundation that as more trials came my way I have been able to draw on. My walk with Him was no longer based on the emotion of exciting spiritual experiences but on the truth that He would never leave me or forsake me. That He would use every situation in my life for my good because I loved Him and was His child.
I was able to build wonderful memories with my daughter. I was able to learn that I could survive off of little income. I learned how to grow my own food and bake my own bread. I learned how to make lemonade out of the lemons that were before me.
Are you facing some tough decisions today? Where are you putting your trust? Is it in your abilities or in the One who has your back?
Making a choice and stepping out requires faith. You have to get out of the boat. Sure you may sink but you also may walk on water. You won’t know until you get out of the boat. The thing to remember is that if and when you begin to sink He will be there to lend a hand to get you to the next place you need to go on your journey.
Even though Peter may not have had a totally successful trip walking on the water, by allowing fear and doubt to creep in, at least he tried. I would venture to say that his experience of knowing that Jesus would be there as He wavered helped him in the future choices he needed to make.
Read Matt 14:25-33
The Lord wants us to put aside our fears. He wants us to step out putting aside the paralysis of analysis. Get Godly counsel, seek His Word and step out. The Nike phrase comes to mind… Just Do it!
My Prayer:
Dear Lord, please help us in our daily walk with the many choices that are before us. Help us to be willing to be obedient to Your teachings and trust the outcome to You. Lead us to Your Word, build our faith and bring people around to encourage and teach us in Your ways. Help us to put our trust in You and step out in faith today Lord, I pray, in Jesus Name, Amen!
