It’s fascinating to watch a loaded barge maneuver its way through the snaking bends of the Ohio River. Recently I watched as a barge rounded a bend in the river, but instead of guiding the vessel to the left to clear the river’s edge it became beached along the shoreline.
Questions filled my mind as to why the pilot did not navigate away from the danger of running aground. Were there unexpected currents? Had maintenance not been properly attended to while in port? Or had it been an oversight of the pilot due to negligence?
All these questions hold legitimacy. They are questions that are applicable to the river of life that we are navigating. We are faced with many unexpected twists and turns in our lives. Not unlike the numerous bends that characterize the Ohio River.
Facing Unexpected Currents
The currents of the river are constantly changing. Weather variations and waterway depth are only a couple conditions that impact currents. To navigate a vessel effectively, vigilance is necessary and maintenance is required. Similarly, there are a variety of aspects that affect the tides in our spiritual life.
When we are faced with a stretch of life that is filled with unforeseen events that threaten to ground our vessel we must take measures to stabilize our soul.
Habakkuk faced currents of life that endangered his craft. Destruction and violence surrounded him. The misery of injustice jeopardized his peace. Unanswered questions stripped Habakkuk’s soul of its accustomed tranquility.
We, too, have been there. Events rock our world. Injustice seems to prevail. Moreover, our peace is bombarded by the constant stream of unanswered questions. We long for a response to our queries. A craving for an acknowledgement that we have been heard reverberates in our heart.
This litany of life’s currents can become hazardous if we do not remain vigilant and follow through with a plan for stability. When we are faced with the rocking waves of life we must return to the Rock. In our unanswered questions and honest complaints we must hold on to what we know about God.
Hold Your Barge Steady
As we hold on to the knowledge of who God is we will find a steadiness that belies the rocking boat. Habakkuk chose a purpose-filled action to maintain his soul.
“I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what He will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.”
Habakkuk 2:1
Habakkuk determined to come into God’s Presence. He made it a priority even when his ‘to-do’ list clamored for his attention. It is here that we must start.
Maintain Your Soul
The first step in gaining the stability that we need to navigate life’s currents is to make God a priority. He alone can maintain our soul. We must choose to come into God’s Presence. When we hear what God speaks it may be that we will need to dredge our spiritual channel deeper. A deeper understanding of who God is will help to anchor the soul. This knowledge is obtained as we linger with God and His Word.
Furthermore, obedient action will ensure that our soul safety is not compromised. God wanted Habakkuk to pause the repetition of his own perceptions. Words like behold and regard show us that Habakkuk was to look at the circumstances from an eternal perspective. Habakkuk chose to still his mind and wait to hear what God had to say. He was ready to obey.
Next, as we still in God’s Presence let us worship. Habakkuk recognized the greatness of the Sovereign Lord. In awe, he proclaimed the glory of God who filled the heavens and earth. Praise and worship of the Almighty God became a way to navigate through the twists and turns of life.
Finally, we see how Habakkuk’s choice to trust even when He could not see brought peace to his soul again. Trust is the catalyst to soul peace.
The Barge of Life
As Habakkuk looked into the future, he realized that even if he faced financial losses, material scarcity and devastating setbacks he could still rejoice in the LORD. The God who was his strength up until this moment would continue to stabilize his barge through the unexpected currents of life.
When the unforeseen happens and the loss is hard; take steps to stabilize your soul against the dangerous currents that lurk in the river of life. Don’t let your barge become grounded due to the twists and turns of life. You can avoid becoming beached along the river’s edge with a plan of action for soul maintenance.
Practical Steps
- Prioritize God. Whether it is those moments sitting in traffic and choosing to listen to God’s Word instead of complaining about the wait or memorizing Scripture in between the mountains of laundry, cleaning up spilled milk and wiping runny noses, we all can find ways to keep God in the forefront of our day.
- Obedient Action. Obedience is our faith worked out in every day life. When the Spirit whispers a reminder of an action that has been lacking in our life, an immediate acquiescence is key. It may be a lack of compassion or a grudge that has developed that God speaks to you about. No matter what it is obedience is crucial. As we walk in obedience the integrity of our soul is maintained.
- Intentional Worship. When the eyes of our soul are turned away from the perplexities of life to the God who is Sovereign over all, we can worship. It takes a choice of the will to dwell on the God of the mountains, instead of wallowing in the mountains of despair and defeat. Deliberately turn your heart to meditate on the Almighty God who fills the heavens and earth. Praise and worship will result.
- Choose Trust. A confident hope in God, despite the unexpected currents, will bring peace of soul. The turmoil of life may threaten to capsize your vessel, but a choice to trust will keep you from beaching along the rivers’ edge, in the murky waters of defeat.
Don’t let your soul run aground when faced with the twists and turns of life. Anchor to the Rock. Stabilize your soul through priority, obedience, worship and trust. Finally, remain vigilant and continue the necessary soul maintenance to reach Heaven’s shore.
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