Bible Study Verse
Psalm 23: 2-4
He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me. Your rod and Your staff protect and comfort me. NLT)
Thoughts
We were rafting down the Jacques-Cartier River in Quebec last week as a family. This river contains various "classes" of rapids in it. Being our maiden voyage rafting, we did a section of the river that wasn't too difficult.
Our first section of rapids still ended up being a bit rough though! We hadn't refined our turning skills, and half-way through the rapids, we got seriously stuck on a rock. We tried shifting our weight; we each tried jumping up and down (pop-corning) to jar us loose, and we pushed off the rock with our paddles with everything we had. Somehow we got off the rock, but it was a little hairy.
The current was so swift, that we just didn't seem to be able to maneuver fast enough for what was coming at us. As the trip went on though, the rapids felt slower than the first set and we were able to navigate them much better than before. The speed of the current didn't change, but our ability to recognize what was happening and what to do about it was much sharper than earlier in the trip.
(Dave M)
Action Point
Life certainly has its way of throwing turmoil at us. We can be cruising along in peaceful waters and all of a sudden, everything seems rocky. I don't know about you, but I have witnessed some amazing people in very difficult circumstances. Whether they were dealing with cancer, the death of a spouse, a problem with their house . . . they were able to walk through their adversity with an amazing level of peace and patience. I've also witnessed others who have gone through similar experiences, yet their problems seemed to be absolutely overwhelming and despair overtook them, resulting in anger and bitterness.
What's the difference? Faith in God. Everyone will have trials and adversity to deal with in life. But those who put their trust in God, will find peace in the middle of the problems. Knowing that God is in complete control of every aspect of my or your life provides great comfort! It allows the current to slow down a bit, so that we can get our bearings straight while still being in what others may perceive as a torrent. God doesn't take us out of the current; He just goes through it with us . . . and that makes all the difference in the world!
If you are stuck in the middle of the rapids right now, keep your eyes on God - He will guide you through!
Sportsmen's Tip of the Day
When rafting through rapids, always look for the "V" in the river and go straight to the middle of the "V". That will be your best route through.
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