What Floats Your Boat

Usually this phrase pertains to an individual's following through on what gives them joy irrespective of what anyone thinks.

For starters; not all boats are the same and have a variety of mechanisms to achieve the same thing, but no matter the style, shape, cost or capacity of the boat - they all need to reach a destination. Along with this principle is the law that any boat that takes on water beyond its capabilities will suffer the fate of sinking.

In Matthew 8:23-27, Jesus sleeps during a violent storm that has the others up in arms and filled with fathomless fear. The men woke The Lord up and expressed their terror and Jesus responds, “Why are you timid and afraid, O you of little faith?”.

1. Acknowledging something is scary doesn’t mean you need to be scared.

After the Lord speaks to the disciples - He calms the storm. I believe it speaks to the truth that there are very real situations that we face everyday that The Lord sees. There is nothing new under the sun so believe me, God has definitely seen it all. However, these realities should not govern our reaction, but rather we should remember who is with us on the same boat, seeing the same realities.

1. Romans 8:31 “If God is for us, who can be against us”

The storms that surround our boat of life are inevitable and they will probably do their best to take us down. However, knowing that you are not alone in a storm and in fact what you have with you and in you is greater than any presentation of danger you may face. Remember, don’t tell God about your problems, tell those problems about your Almighty God!

1. It’s the water inside the boat that sinks the boat.

This final point of the article is one that takes constant work to apply and consciously execute. Sometimes we can be so burdened by the harsh realities of life, or the worldly principles that seem to be working more than our faith. Or maybe we have a little negative thought that grows into a mind holding unto its last thread of light. The danger that disciples were scared of was still outside the boat, but some of us live our lives making a home in our hearts for the storms set to test and strengthen our faith. Imagine if Jesus had woken up to the disciples giving God Praise? He wouldn’t have said “Why do you have so much faith? Don’t you see these storms?”. Knowing that there are storms in life is very different to harbouring the storms of life.

Psalm 46:10

Be still, and know that I am God

You have chosen God to float your boat - He will not sink it so don’t allow the storms to sink it either.