Once a friend of mine went swimming in a large lake at dusk. As he was paddling at a leisurely pace about a hundred yards offshore, a freak evening fog rolled in across the water. Suddenly he could see nothing: no horizon, no landmarks, no objects or lights on shore. Because the fog diffused all light, he could not even make out the direction of the setting sun.
For thirty minutes he splashed around in panic. He would start off in one direction, lose confidence, and turn ninety degrees to the right. Or left—it made no difference which way he turned. He could feel his heart racing uncontrollably. He would stop and float, trying to conserve energy, and force himself to breathe slower. Then he would blindly strike out again.
At last he heard a faint voice calling from shore. He pointed his body toward the sounds and followed them to safety.
All of us can relate to this story. Recently it seems as is we have been forced to live life in an increasingly dense fog. All the familiar surroundings tat we once knew are shrouded and clouded, and we do not know which way to go. If we are honest, we are often scared and sometimes desperate, longing for some direction from God.
But if we will just stay quiet and trust in Him, we will hear the sounds from the shore and we will know which way to go.
Philip Yancey
Where is God When It Hurts?, pp 119-120
