When Your Boat Capsizes

 You are sailing along tending to your business when all of a sudden “out of the blue” comes a storm that capsizes your boat, messes up your well laid out plans, tosses your cherished comforts into the raging seas, and leaves you feeling helpless in the grip of the storm. You find out that your employer is going out of business and everyone is being laid off. You find needles in your child’s dresser drawer. Your spouse is found to be having an extramarital affair. A routine physical turns into a cancer diagnosis. A loved one suddenly dies leaving you feeling numb and empty. It is all you can do to make it through today, let alone find the strength and energy to think about tomorrow. 

Psalm 107 is one of the longest psalms. It begins like this – “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” The overall theme is a psalm of thanksgiving to the Lord for the purpose of making his wonderful deeds (v.8) known to all mankind. The psalm repeatedly shows the faithfulness of God despite the unfaithfulness of His chosen people, Israel. The psalm is split into seven sections, the verses below being the fifth section.   

“Some went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters. They saw the works of the LORD, his wonderful deeds in the deep. For he spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves. They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away. They reeled and staggered like drunkards; they were at their wits’ end. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind. Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people and praise him in the council of the elders” (vv.23-32).  

Amidst any storm you face, no matter how big or small, God stands with you and you can trust that He is still at the helm. In your sorrow and sadness, God feels your every hurt, and every tear is wiped away by His loving hands.

Every storm is a call to trust God. Every storm is a call to pray to the One who can both calm the storm and calm you as you feel surrounded by the storm. Every storm is a call to give thanks to God for His faithfulness and His loving kindness, regardless of the condition of your boat?  

So, what do you do when your boat capsizes?

Note: The oil on canvas work of art in this post is titled “The Gulf Stream” and was painted by Winslow Homer in 1899.

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