"For we walk by faith and not by sight." 2 Corinthians 5:7
Are you the type of person that enjoys traveling? Both Ken and I would enthusiastically answer that question with a vociferous “YES”! In addition, we have been blessed with best friends who not only invite us to travel with them, but they also plan the entire trip! All we have to do is show up with our bags packed and pay our bills! However, these friends tend to have an adventurous spirit, so every trip seems to include a thrilling and exhilarating component. For example, we have ridden bikes down a volcano, we have kayaked in Alaskan waters with winter coats on, we have zip-lined, we have gone white water rafting, we’ve gone on helicopter tours, and we almost damaged a rental car during an off road tour. So it only seemed natural during a quick relaxing trip to Florida this past summer that we would go parasailing!
Being the most cautious one of this group, I am not the most eager one to sign up for these escapades. I tend to be the reluctant one who takes a dose of Dramamine and prays my way through these adventures. However, in all honesty, despite the fact that I’m not racing out of the car when we arrive at the destination, these events usually end up being the highlight of the trip for me.
So imagine my panic when driving about halfway to the parasailing location, I remembered that I had forgotten to take my Dramamine! Instantly, horrible visions of throwing up on people in the boat from 1,000 feet in the air flooded my brain as I started to second-guess my decision. However, with an encouraging pep talk from my group, I reluctantly got on the boat. Within minutes, the captain spotted lightening, and I was convinced that God had answered my prayers as we were all instructed to disembark. However, my group doesn’t give up easily, so we ended up waiting out the storm.
One hour later, I found myself in the middle of the ocean as the captain drove the boat to the targeted destination. Without even giving the option of “Who would like to go first?”, the mate pointed to Ken and me and announced, “You’re up!” Dutifully, I walked to the back of the boat, got strapped in, and did everything I was instructed to do, and within minutes, we were whisked into the air like a human kite!
It’s so hard to describe in words how beautiful and peaceful it was to have such broad view! Our condo’s small ocean front view is beautiful, but to have that aerial perspective was spectacular! The vastness of the ocean and the beautiful shades of the water as well as the skyline of the entire city was not only insightful but also absolutely breathtaking!
Sometimes in life, we also have a limited perspective and view of a situation, so it’s difficult to see or understand the bigger picture. A job loss, a broken relationship, or an unwanted diagnosis can limit the perspective of something much larger where God is at work. Although we can’t see the bigger picture, faith and trust play such a significant role in believing that God does and He is in control.
One statement that I heard and have always found to be a powerful encouragement is “While we are waiting, God is working”. We may not have the ability to see the grand aerial view regarding a particular situation, but we have the confidence that God does. We trust that He will help us get through whatever may come our way.
Have a peace-filled week knowing that God is in control!
Mrs. Palka