When we vacation on the coast we stay in a house that overlooks the ocean. We have over 180 degree view from the house of beach, waves, and ocean. My husband likes to stand on the deck and watch the waves come in.
The other night he was watching some surfers out on the waves. From his vantage point he could see when the perfect wave came around the point. He could see where the surfer needed to be, he could see when they needed to paddle and when they needed to pop up. From 100 feet above the water he would tell them to paddle or wonder why they stopped paddling, sighing that they missed the perfect wave because they quit going for it.
He non-nonchalantly mentioned this might be how God feels. I thought about that idea.
God can see what is coming in our lives. He can see the opportunity that has just rounded the point. He can see that we are in just the right spot for it and as it comes our way instead of paddling hard and taking it, we stop short and let it pass. I know I've done this.
We let it pass because we are afraid it might push us too hard. We let it pass because we think we are too far ahead of it or too far behind it. We let it pass because we think we might not be able to handle the force of it. For me, I forget to think about the great ride I might get. I forget that even if I don't get up on the wave, the worst that will happen is that I will fall in the water.
How many opportunities have I missed because of fear? How many opportunities have I missed simply because I stopped paddling towards them? How many times has the perfect wave come and in my fear, I let it pass? How many times has an ideal opportunity come my way and I let fear keep me from it, I watched it pass?
I need to trust that the worst that will happen is I might fall into the water into the same place I was before. I might get a little wet, but then I can get back up and be ready for the next opportunity. A scary wave from my vantage point might simply be the opportunity of a lifetime.
No comments:
Post a Comment