If your life is like mine, it seems to just whiz by. Even at the most mundane times in life the days seem to pass more and more quickly. It can be so difficult to grasp what is moving at light speed. A few days by the ocean is always a treasured time for me. The lull of the waves, the warmth of the sand and the shade of the umbrella as the breeze surrounds me all unite to bring me to a stop inside so that I can truly rest and so that I can better hear what God might be saying to me in the midst of my life. We all need some of that , don’t we?
So, as I spend a few days by the ocean, here are a few things I am learning:
The ocean is always moving. One of the most noticeable things about the ocean is that it is never completely still. Whether the waves are crashing violently or breaking gently there is never a settled stop. The vastness of the water make it far beyond any human capacity to control any of it’s movement. It just is.
Like the ocean, life never stops and there isn’t anything you or I can do about it. As much as we would like to stop the passage of time or the arrival of certain dates and events in our lives, we can’t. There is beauty in the constant movement of the ocean, just as there is beauty in the constant movement of our lives. As we learn to adjust to the movement, instead of frantically grasping and trying to stop it, we gain peace. Acceptance of things as they are allows us to transform how we respond.
This is more than an observation for me. This is something I have learned to live and it makes such a difference. Learn to discern what to accept and what to fight against. There is grace and peace for both when discerned properly.
The tide comes in whether you move your chair or not. Why do beach communities publish high and low tide times? So that people can plan accordingly. Yet, you always see people on the beach who place their chains as close to the water as they can and then seem surprised as the waves get closer and closer, threatening to snatch all their belongings out to sea. You and I need to be aware of the rhythms of our lives. There are certain things that we can count on whether we like it or not. Our kids are going to grow up. We are going to get older. Taxes are going to be due by April 15 EVERY year. Our parents are going to decline. People are going to disappoint us because they are human and imperfect, not because they are cruel or unloving.
Like the tide, these rhythms are inevitable. We can plan accordingly because we know they are going to happen or we can camp out close to the waves and somehow be surprised as the tide creeps up on us. Proverbs 22:3 says, “A prudent [wise] person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.” (Proverbs 22:3 NLT) Not all of the inevitables in our lives are trouble, but you get my drift. You may not know exactly when an event will occur, but you do know it will, so you can plan accordingly and prepare yourself mentally, emotionally, practically and spiritually. There are some things that have already happened in my life that I wish I had been better prepared for! I am working on being better equipped for the future.
The ocean keeps what is alive and leaves behind what isn’t. I was surprised as I walked along this particular part of the seashore to notice that what I thought were rocks at the waters edge were piles of broken and empty seashells. Remember, every seashell was at one time the home of a living organism. Empty shells mean that what was inside has died. The living thing inside is gone. The protective shell is no longer necessary, so the ocean tide deposits it on the shore. Living things keep moving. Living things, like fish and growing ocean plants, are either firmly rooted or strong enough to swim or crawl out of the tide. They don't get caught up in it. Water animals may get deposited on the beach but they crawl away or dig themselves into the sand. They don’t get left behind.
You and I need to stop from time to time and evaluate what, in our day to day routines or in the larger arch of our life timeline, is giving life and what needs to be left behind. Like the seashells on the shore, some things we leave behind may be beautiful, some may be plain, some may be broken and painful if unexpectedly discovered. There may be memories attached to what we leave behind, but, if they are no longer giving life, then it’s time to let the tide carry them to the beach and leave them there. One caution, be sure to process all the emotion first, especially from the painful memories. If you don’t, the sting will stay with you. Painful memories buried under day to day life continue to influence our reactions and thinking. Painful memories properly processed can be left behind with no further damage.
Dear Friend, as I take time to enjoy the ocean and the quiet, I am also asking God to show me what to adjust to, what to prepare for and what to leave behind. I encourage you to find some time and do the same, even if you can’t do it by the ocean.
Key thought: Learn to stop and listen in the busyness of your life.
A Scripture to consider: “O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies! Where is there anyone as mighty as you, O Lord? You are entirely faithful. You rule the oceans. You subdue their storm-tossed waves.” Psalms 89:8-9 NLT
A YES challenge: Plan some time to stop and process with God. Prayerfully ask yourself some questions: What in my life would I like to stop from happening? What can I do to accept the inevitable? How am I preparing for the eventualities in my life? What can I do now to better prepare myself for then? What in my life is no longer giving life and needs to be left behind? What practical steps do I need to take in order to do that?
Prayer: Father, You have designed my life to be always moving, full of rhythms and fulll of life. Help me to cooperate with my life as You have designed it. Help me to accept the movement, prepare for the rhythms and leave behind what is no longer giving life. Help me to flourish within the boundaries You have created for me. Amen.