It can feel never-ending, yet God is with you.

God is with us in the turbulence, with us as breaker after breaker rolls in, with us in the never-ending crash and the spreading thin, with us as even more of them build, froth, and thunder ashore.

I came to meet with God early this morning, and I realized He had set me on high ground, and from this place, He showed me how He is with me.  I saw the sun emerge across the hazy horizon and blaze a path across the ocean toward me. As I traced the beam back to its source, I thought about the Light of the World, how it shines in the darkness, and how the darkness cannot overcome it. His light touches it all as each wave builds and crawls across the sea.  It radiates and rides upon every crest unfolding along with it.  I can see this from my perch, but I have been there on the beach, where the waves of responsibility, worry, depression, regret, loneliness, and heartache roll over me relentlessly.  I try to stand firm for a while until my back is turned, and suddenly, I am pulled under as the wave crashes, knocking me down and wiping me across the bottom of the gritty ocean floor. The sheer force and weight keep me submerged. I wonder if I’ll ever surface from this, take a breath, or rest. 

What about you? Have you spent too long where the waves meet the shore? Whether it’s never-ending waves of responsibility because things, people, and animals must have care or the daily chores, work, and bills must be managed. Life can be exhausting.  What about the other waves? There can be waves of worry about the future or your child’s future (will they be responsible enough?). There can be waves of loneliness for those living alone and even those surrounded by others who feel unheard or unseen.

Additionally, there can be waves of depression, regret, and illness, as well as waves of grief.  Even when the biggest tidal wave of my life flattened me, held me under, dragged me through agony, and left me to die, I know that my Savior was with me…He is with me because I am still on that shore, and He remains my rock.   But how can I say that God is with me…as if it makes everything all right…even in something as tragic as the loss of my child?  To clarify, I am not saying that it makes everything all right.  Death is death, and it is the enemy.  However, with Christ, I can attest that there is peace, comfort, strength, and ultimately, hope because Christ overcame the grave.  Death does not win in the end.  

With the waves of responsibility, God can bring renewed energy and wisdom. With the waves of worry, God can bring peace.  With the waves of loneliness, God can bring comfort; with the waves of depression, God can bring you out of the pit; with the waves of regret, God can bring redemption; with the waves of illness, God can bring healing; with the waves of grief, God can bring peace and hope.  If you must endure the waves for a time, allow God to be your source of hope.  He will always be with you, never leaving you or forsaking you.