Tossed by the waves
This is part of a five-part series of spiritual renewal posts based on the book of James.
Reading: James 1:5–8
When I was 19, my family took a trip to Hawaii. At one of the beaches, we encountered some steady, long waves, and we thought that it would be fun to try body surfing. As I floated in the water, I spotted a wave that I wanted to ride. I started swimming to get ahead of it, but it was a much bigger wave than I anticipated. It crashed down on me, forcing me under the water, turning me over and over until I had no idea which way was up. I bumped down hard on the ocean floor, finally able to find my bearings, and stood up to discover that I was only knee-deep in the water. I had trusted in my skill as a swimmer, but the ocean quickly showed me how powerful and dangerous it could be.
The power and ferocity of the waves are similar to the effects of trying to live out your faith in a secular culture. It can be difficult to navigate all the differing worldviews, opinions, and circumstances that question the legitimacy of your faith in God, or even the existence of God. Likewise, there is a temptation to graft in other practices, philosophies, and attitudes to “supplement” faith in God that may seem harmless, and potentially even complementary. How does one discern what parts of culture are helpful, and which are harmful? There is a tension of being in the world, but also being part of another kingdom that can feel like choppy waters which must be navigated with wisdom (John 17:14–18).
Just like my experience with the ocean, inexperience (or immaturity) can lead to reactions to situations that end up tossing us all over the place. When we are faced with difficulty or challenge, do we listen to the prompting and conviction of the Holy Spirit, or do we trust our own wisdom? This type of double-mindedness can lead us into the rough waters of doubt. Doubt at its very basic sense is a question. How we engage with and entertain that question reveals the quality of our trust in God. Do we address our questions to God as engagement with him, or as accusations against him? Do we allow him to respond, or make assumptions about what the answer will be?
In Christ, we have a firm foundation upon which to stand amidst the waves. Hold your actions, words, and thoughts up to him, and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you about the integrity of your spiritual practices and beliefs. Is there anything that doesn’t mirror God’s character and purposes? Ask him for wisdom and he will give it to you. Then you will be able to submit those places of incongruence to him to be renewed and transformed (Romans 12:2).
