David Yarbrough
John 15:5 (CSB)
I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me.
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to go surfing. I had wanted to try surfing my entire life, and while Melissa and I were on vacation, we came across a place offering lessons. I signed up and went out with the group of wannabe surfers. It was a morning full of paddling against the waves, all to catch one single wave. That was it for me. I spent all morning paddling, working, and striving to catch only one wave. It was wonderful for the few seconds I was on top of the board actually surfing, but the rest of the morning paddling against the waves was a battle.
Kingdom living is much like surfing. At first, learning how to catch the wave of what God is doing and joining Him in it takes a lot of effort, failure, and sometimes discouragement. When we pursue God, we are going against the current of this world (1 John 2:15). It takes a lot of practice, but the more practice you get, the more efficient you get at recognizing the waves of what God's doing and joining Him in that.
It's interesting to think about paddling against the waves and surfing the waves. The same waves that can exhaust the one paddling against them are the same waves that bring overwhelming joy to the one surfing on them. One is striving against the power of the wave, and the other is abiding by its power. For the surfer, the surge of the sea propels him towards his purpose. For the one paddling against the wave, the wave's power can be painful and even destructive.
You must understand that the same waves the devil wants to destroy you with are the same waves God wants to develop you with. As the Puritan preacher Thomas Watson once said, "Afflictions add to the saints' glory. The more the diamond is cut, the more it sparkles." The Kingdom-minded believer does not experience joy despite tribulation but as a result of it. As Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 7:4, "...in all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy."
When we take our Kingdom position in Christ (Eph 2:6), it completely alters how we respond to life's challenges. The waves that were once destructive now contribute to our spiritual growth and resilience. We may not always ride on top of the waves, but like a surfer swimming back out on his board, we can learn how to navigate through them. The power of the Holy Spirit working in and through the believer enables us to withstand the fiercest waves this world can bring. We must make no mistake about it—this is not our power, but the Holy Spirit's power working through us (2Co 13:4).
As believers, it is vital to be mindful of our identity in Christ while living under Jesus' Kingdom authority. This means that we should understand who we are in Christ and our position in His Kingdom. Our identity in Christ is not based on our performance, achievements, or external factors; instead, it is rooted in the fact that we are children of God and co-heirs with Christ (Rom 8:17).
I have thought a lot about the words of Charles Spurgeon: "I have learned to kiss the waves that throw me against the rock of ages." Man, that's tough. But life here on earth, even when we are seeking first the Kingdom of God, can be brutal, especially when the waves are big and strong. But it might just be that we need to realize that we have a Kingdom purpose. And the waves that we are battling are tools of sanctification that God has sent with the purpose of not destroying us but rather developing us.
Romans 8:35; 37 (CSB) Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.