A Smooth Sea Never Made a Skillful Sailor

When we accept the calling of God on our lives, boy, are we on fire! We proudly declare that nothing will stop us from doing the work of the Lord! Unexpectedly, obstacles pop up and try to hinder us or throw us off course. We tend to take these things to heart. One of the first things we need to understand when we answer the call and live for God is that nothing is a “personal” matter anymore.  Everything is a spiritual battle. It’s heaven against hell, and since you have given your life to pursue the Kingdom on earth, hell is fighting mad!

When you are pursuing God’s will for your life, the devil will try to throw anything at you to deter you from fulfilling God’s plan for your life. The devil is desperate to hinder us. John 10:10 says that the adversary only comes to steal, to kill, and to destroy. Satan seeks to steal your joy, kill your faith, and destroy your ministry. He will go to desperate measures. He will use situations, circumstances, or even people to discourage you and try to pull you away. It is in those moments that our eyes need to be opened. If the devil is stooping so low to try to steal, kill, and destroy us, then we must be doing something very right in our ministries.

As we draw near to God, that’s when it feels like things pop into our lives that try to steer us off course. It distracts us from what we are called to do. It could be things that satisfy the flesh: lust, addiction, pride, etc.  It could be things that tear us down spiritually: betrayal, discouragement, loneliness, depression, etc. It could be situations in our life: work, financial, family issues. When we put our situations or distractions above God, we lose focus on the vision, which is to share His gospel, share His truth to the spiritually blind. Isn’t that exactly what the adversary wants?

In all of the confusion Satan sets in our lives, we sometimes forget who we serve.  We serve a God that will never leave us. The Bible says,

I will be your God throughout your lifetime — until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.

Isaiah 46:4, NLT

Sometimes in these situations we may feel abandoned — it seems like God is distancing Himself. However, it is us that is losing sight of Him because our focus are distracted on these obstacles and situations. We aren’t seeking His face through the trials but are trying to take matters in our own hands. When we “give it all to God,” that doesn’t just mean our lives, dreams, desires, but it also includes our problems, heartaches — everything!

I am horrible about holding onto things that I should be laying at the feet of Jesus. Jesus even told us in John 16:33, “I have told you all of this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” After meditating on this verse of Scripture, why would I trust myself to overcome my problems, when I can give them to the One who has overcome the world?

Sometimes when the adversary throws these things at us, we tend to act as victims. “Everything/everyone is out to get me. Why me? Why do I deserve this?” Again, I’m going to bring up that lesson. It is not personal, it’s spiritual. We are not being attacked because of who we are. I am not attacked because “I’m Summer.” We go through attacks because of who we live for. It is all about Jesus. Jesus is using us to fulfill His purpose on earth. The devil attacks us to prevent His will being done! It has nothing to do with us.

This brings me to the title of this post, “A Smooth Sea Never Made a Skillful Sailor.” I saw this quote this morning, and I found it fitting for what I have been going through. When we overcome through Christ and breakthrough, we will only be more wise and stronger in our faith. If we never had to fight for anything our whole lives, what would we learn? Nothing. What would we experience? Nothing. God uses our experiences to help others; whether they have gone through something similar or to testify to others that it is an experience they do not want to have. All of this heartache and struggle will be used to glorify God.

What I hope you leave with after reading this post is that:

1. Don’t take it personally. It’s all a spiritual battle!
2. Don’t let “distractions” hinder or prevent you from fulfilling your purpose!
3. Seek His face through the troubles. You will overcome through Him!
4. What you have overcome through Jesus can be used to help others.