Ever had one of those days when you felt like you were drowning in an massive ocean of uncertainty? Yesterday was one of those days for me. Recently, I made a leap of faith believing it was exactly what God wanted me to do. And then the doubts set in, particularly when the effects of the leap hit me square between the eyes. Things familiar were now gone. GONE. I was like the proverbial shipwrecked sailor marooned on an island in the middle of a vast sea with no rescue boats in sight. The silence was deafening. All the discipline in the world is of little use to the heart when insecurity strikes, when the rubble of our previous vessel lies all around us in tiny pieces. It is during these times when what we know about the Lover of our souls keeps us afloat.
So, what do I know about my God. I know that He loves me with a love that is wider and longer and higher and deeper than the ocean of doubt that surrounds me. I know that his love surpasses knowledge, a very fine thing to know when the memory of my choices is the tangled net around my legs that is threatening to drown me. I know that I cannot ask or imagine the things my Heavenly Father is planning for me. The old vessel may be gone but I heard a rumor that He’s sending a cruise ship to rescue me. He wants me to trust, to rest in His loving care, to keep my eyes on the horizon and my heart focused on Him.
And so I will. Rest in Him, I mean. I’ll build a temporary shelter with the materials with which He’s provided me: books, hard work, time. I’ll look around for something to munch on until the cruise ship is in sight. I may even build a fire. However, I won’t be thinking that anything about the position I’m in is permanent. This is what faith does. It rests while anticipating. It rejoices in current provisions, paltry as they might be, while still planning for the future.
Faith does one more thing and this is what I would consider the most important. The psalmist described it far better than I ever could so I’m going to use his words instead of mine. He said, “I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word. My 
eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises.” (Psalm 119:147-148). Quite often, when uncertainty strikes, sleeplessness is its companion. So what are we to do? Follow the example set by David of old. Rise before dawn and cry for help. Meditate during those sleepless nights on the promises of our God.
Will the feelings of uncertainty disappear right away? Probably not. But life is not just about feelings. It’s about knowing. Most importantly its about knowing the One who holds this entire world and all that happens on it, even the destruction of formerly sturdy sea-worthy vessels, in the center of his more than capable hands. It’s about knowing how vast is His love and how reliable His promises. Ultimately, it’s all about resting in Him.
The Old Stone Wall 