Asaph’s spirits lifted when he began to recount God’s past wonders on his and Israel’s behalf. He needed to view his current struggles in light of God’s history of compassion and deliverance. Then he could encourage himself that God was indeed up to something good… again.
If we grasp both the heights of God’s holiness and the depths of our own sin, we will not approach God with a sense of entitlement. Instead we will humbly approach Him on the basis of grace – His unmerited favor.
We should face our storms head on. When we turn sideways or retreat, we are liable to get swamped by waves of burdens, worries and fears.
Peter's mistake was he focused on the wind and waves and took his eyes off Jesus.
Our best path is to not wedge Him into our little dream house with the white picket fence on Easy Street, but to bow before Him, and listen to His Words.
We can’t prevent doubts and fears from popping into our thoughts, especially when we're going through a major crisis like fighting cancer. Yet we are not victims - we do not have to give in to destructive voices.
The instinct to survive is good in itself, but an obsession with living can expose our soul to perhaps the most destructive fear – the fear of death.
We may feel out of control, but that does not mean He is.
There is a strange sense of rest in trusting Him with our unanswered questions. And that’s an answer in itself – He will tell us everything soon enough.
Ultimately, we will drift on crystal smooth and peaceful waters, but we don’t have to wait for heaven to enjoy serenity.
