Weekly Lesson - Do You Ever Get Your Boat Stuck??
Yeah…I know, the weekly lesson has been a little off schedule. Between a Panama City Beach vacation, the server issues, catching back up to things at work, kids going back to school….which means I’m helping with math homework
...Yeah…I have been
stuck with a lot of other things.
But, it’s somewhat of a good segue for the question: Do you ever get stuck? I already know this answer….not if you have a “(insert mudmotor brand here)!” Seriously, what would you do if you were ever out in your rig and got in a situation where you were “stuck?” If you have reverse, that’s always a good option. Just back right out and try again or clear out a good wheel wash area. Sometimes you may just trim your motor all the way down into the thick of it and just work your steering left and right and keep inching forward. Maybe just shifting the weight around in your boat will get you out of a bind.
Sometimes you may get “stuck” in your relationship with God. You may feel like you are not getting anywhere. You may feel like God isn’t doing anything for you, not answering your prayers or you may wonder why God is letting certain things happen you feel just shouldn’t be happening. Kind of like being stuck in the mud…this shouldn’t be happening because “I have the best boat, a “Brand-X” mudmotor and spent X-amount of money on performance modifications. This is not supposed to happen to me!”
Cross reference that with something along the lines, “I go to church every Sunday, I say my prayers before every meal, I read the Bible every night before bed, I listen to Christian music, I am a good person. This is not supposed to happen to me!”
The sad reality is, things do happen that may make you question yourself and your faith. Following Jesus and being a good Christian is easy when things are going good and you are cruising deep water at 30+ mph in your rig! Our true commitment to Him is revealed when we get stuck, when we have trials in our lives, when we run into obstacles. But, remember, Jesus told his disciples:
John 16:33 NLT
33 “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” You think you’re having some trials and tribulations? Read the Book of Job! Now that guy went through some hard times! Yet, he remained steadfast in his Faith. But being stuck is not all that bad in the big picture. Because, really, aren’t you glad when you get out of that mud hole? Sometimes, you may even hit it again just to prove to yourself you can get through it!
Romans 8:18 NLT
18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.Paul further writes,
Romans 8:28 NLT
28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.Remember, when you get stuck in your life, just as you do in your boat, try backing up a little. Trim yourself down and work the steering left to right. Shift your weight a little. Look at the big picture. Keep inching forward and you will get out of your predicament. Keep your Faith strong in God and He will always come through for you. You may not understand His reasoning for what has happened today…just like you couldn’t understand how you managed to stick your 17’ x 54” rig in what seemed like soft marsh. You may never know why you got stuck. Does that mean you will never take your boat out, again? Of course not! You will go back out and trust that your rig will get you through the next mud hole. Trust God that He will get you through the next time you are stuck in life! You are going to get out of it and be glad that you did. You will be a stronger and wiser person.
And everybody said.....AMEN!
