Overwhelmed by the Waves

Do you ever feel like the child in the image? You’re just out there trying to enjoy the waves. And all of a sudden a big one comes and crashes into you. Water up your nose, a little discombobulated, you gather yourself and head back out.

This is resilience. Get knocked down, get back up again. Of course, this image is our son, in Hawaii, having fun. But in real life, this dynamic can begin to wear you down.

It’s perfectly fine to decide you don’t want to be hit by waves right now. For most people, the waves are rolling in faster than usual. And you’d rather be sitting on the shore reading a book.

Sometimes we forget that we have the choice to step out of the surf and move to the sandy beach…where we can take a rest.

Is there a situation in your life right now that feels like non-stop crashing waves? How might you gather yourself and make your way back to your own metaphorical beach?

I say metaphorical beach because I know many of us do not have choices about the circumstances that surround us. But we always have choices about what we think about them and how we, ourselves, behave within them.

Reflection

• Pause for a moment and discern what your metaphorical beach would look like.
• Are there some new boundaries that you can set? Some new “no’s” that need to be in place?
• What is one way you can remove yourself from the waves and make your way to the beach?

Don’t be a slave to time or to the crashing waves. “My yoke is easy and my burden is light” is real counsel from Jesus. How might you enjoy that easy yoke today?