Clinging to God’s Word in Uncertain Times by Susan Davidson
I had a knuckle-white grip on the side of the raft, holding on for dear life. Just moments before, I gazed in horror as a woman passenger, our rafting guide, and my husband flew out of our raft and into the water. We had unintentionally slammed headlong into a rock on a class three rapid.
As we stuck fast in the middle of the waves, my confidence that this would be a safe trip for my family quickly washed away. Fear and adrenaline kicked into high gear, knowing the remaining inexperienced rafters and I would now be faced with maneuvering ourselves and my ten-year-old daughter off the rock and through the churning waters.
As we held tightly to the sides of the raft, we all clung equally to something else - the words of advice the experienced crew called out to us from the riverbank. We knew that to make it to shore safely, we would have to push past our fear of uncertainty and apply the words of wisdom from those who had braved the waters before us.
All these years later, I would again feel that familiar tug of fear and the pull from the churning waters of uncertainty around me. The rock my family now crashed upon had the name Multiple Sclerosis and threatened to keep us paralyzed to move forward.
As all the what-ifs swirled around in my mind, my heart desperately longed for something safe and secure to hold to. To make it through without sinking in despair, I would need the advice of someone experienced in steering through the stormy seas my family now faces.
At some point in our lives, we all face situations that bring us indecision and fear. Moments we slam up against rocks with names like anxiety, grief, unemployment, divorce, or rejection. Moments, we lack the confidence to steer through all our unknowns alone. Moments we need hope to cling to so our faith doesn't run aground and we make it through mentally sound.
We will find no better security to put our trust in than the advice from the One who can not only walk on the water but who has the power to speak peace to our souls even amid the wind and waves. To the same One who gives us incredible hope that we find available to us as God’s people in Isa. 43:2 (NIV), which reads, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” There is not anything we face in Jesus that we will ever walk through alone.
In Acts Chapter 27, we read of another almost catastrophic shipwreck. After many days at sea, Paul and the prisoners aboard drifted closer to shore, hit a sandbar, and stuck fast. Many of these prisoners desperately needed something to cling to in their moment of uncertainty and seemingly prevailing circumstances.
Many prisoners who could not swim would cling to planks and broken pieces of the ship as they navigated through the waves. And so, they all made it safely to land. (Acts 27:44) God had promised that no life would be lost, but all would make it safely to shore. His word would prove the surety they would need to arrive safely at shore.
God’s word has abiding power and is like an anchor to our soul. It holds us steady and safe when the deep waters of grief and anxiety are stirring within us, and the waves called “what ifs” rush over our minds and emotions, threatening to drown our dreams for the future and defeat our faith. They bring us peace even amid stress and less-than-peaceful situations.
God’s word is like those broken boards that carried the passengers safely through the tumultuous waters. They are also like the guidance from a skilled rafter that gave four rafting novices the confidence to brave the rapids and tackle all their fears.
If you find yourself today in a situation where you, too, feel hopeless and engulfed in fear, cling unwavering to the words of the One who has walked on the waves before you. Be still and know you can trust God’s word to lead you through all your unknowns in peace and confidence. He will also keep your hope alive and your faith in him secure.
Susan Davidson is a freedom-from-striving pursuer and sharer of encouragement enthusiast. She loves sipping on her favorite coffee, going for dog walks in the park, and enjoying scenic mountain views in the small town she calls home. She is a devotional writer featured in Clear Mind, Peaceful Heart: 50 Devotions for Sleeping Well in a World Full of Worry. When she is not creating with words and sharing about her Jesus, she loves to spend time with the special people she calls her family and friends.
