I miss this writing thing. It’s much more beneficial to me than anyone else (or at least that’s how I feel). But I do hope people reading this would get something out of it as well. Writing not only improves my communication skills, it also allows me the ability to think deeply, or just deeper, about my life and the daily activities that take place—like all that “ordinary” stuff that happens in life, but really isn’t all that ordinary.

One thing God has been showing me over the past few months is that He provides in all circumstances, no matter what. I just don’t know why I have a hard time trusting Him all the time! It’s incredibly frustrating, really.

There’s a passage in Luke where Jesus is sitting in the back of a boat while a storm is raging—waves are crashing into the sides of the boat, water is flying all over the place, and men are running back and forth trying to keep the boat from going under! All the while, Jesus is just chillin’ in the back… He’s snoozin’.

This really happened.

So as soon as the men realize that this storm is about to engulf the ship and everyone on board, they see Jesus at peace in the back and wake Him up. “C’mon brother! We’re about to die here and you’re just sleeping? Please help us out!”

Jesus replies, “Oh! You need My help? Do you guys not have any faith at all?” He then proceeds to rebuke the wind, waves, and storm—and they obey Him.

The entire time these men were trying to figure out the problems, trying to keep their boat afloat, when the answer was right in front of them—waiting for them—the whole time.

That’s what I feel my life is like sometimes. I feel the need to do everything on my own, make everyone happy, and get things done all by my own power, while in actuality, the only piece of the puzzle I need is right beside me the whole time (probably resting easy, too). It’s Jesus!

Every time I come home after the baseball season, there’s a little transition that needs to happen. My wife isn’t used to me being around and I’m not used to being around her either. I don’t know which side of the family to stay with when we are back. Where do I go to get a job? Do I need to get a job? How many jobs can I commit to? Where am I going to train this off-season? What is on my schedule that I don’t know about yet?

The questions are endless! And if you’re anything like me, trying to answer more than one question at a time is stressful in itself. Thankfully, there have been answers to all those questions and there will be answers for all future questions as well. The answers will come from Someone who knows what’s best for me at all times.

When I try to do everything on my own, I’m just like those men on the boat, being tossed by the wind. I’m running and back and forth like a chicken with my head cut off trying to find the quickest, best, and most logical answer (but also considering everyone’s feelings) to a problem that, most of the time, isn’t life or death. And when you think about it, death really isn’t all that bad. . . all things considered.

I’m just praying that I would take this life one day at a time and continue to look to the back of my boat whenever I see a storm brewing ahead. I know that God will have a plan—the plan. By the end of the storm, that’s the plan which happens whether I first try to do things my own way or not.

Keep rowing.

— David Ledbetter

David Ledbetter is a regular contributor to The Increase, providing monthly articles and opinions.

Check out David’s Increase profile here: http://theincreasebaseball.com/author/david-ledbetter/  

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