Surf's Up!... and Down

James tells us that a man with a doubting faith is tossed about like the surf of the sea because of his double-mindedness. Wow. Once I realized how that applied to my own life, that passage really began to speak volumes.
'Surf of the sea' also just means 'waves.' In my physics courses, I learned about how sound waves work, and the principle is the same for ocean waves too. In a sound wave, there are two parts: a crest and a trough. The crest goes up and up, but at the other end of the crest is always a trough. The ocean is the same way. The current builds itself into a heap of water and just when the wave peaks, what happens? It curls and crashes down into nothingness on the shoreline.
Do you see where James was going with that whole 'surf' thing yet?
Sunday was amazing. Oh don't get me wrong because it was still difficult; there were trials to overcome, don't misunderstand. But overall, this past Sunday was an amazing feast of righteousness in the presence of the Lord. I was really trying to learn to trust in God. Then Monday came. Satan managed to pick at me through various ways, but how he did it isn't the important thing. The matter is: he got to me. I was bitter, and I felt far away from God. And yet the moment I opened my heart and put my faith fully in Him, I knew His warm embrace was not far.
Faith. When we are firm in our faith we can overcome this whole 'wave theory' and draw nearer to our God. Faith means trust. God was teaching me to trust in Him no matter what's going on. But faith also calls for obedience. My hope is that now all the trust God has called for would be put forth into real, Christian love and action.
Remember Peter. He was sinking in the middle of millions of waves. He lost faith and took his focus off of the Lord. But as soon as he cried out to the Lord to save him, Jesus' hand was pulling him out of the stormy waters.