MOVING THE TITANIC
I love stories of the Titanic. Don’t ask me why, as I have a phobia of ships sinking, but I love hearing the speculations of what actually happened.
One of the things that has always struck me about the story is the level of arrogance surrounding her. She was a palatial vessel where nearly every desire of the flesh could be accommodated. A ginormous ship, with the latest and greatest in all the technology and luxury, and was actually touted as being unsinkable… which is why there weren’t nearly enough life boats. And, stories of the captain being warned of the dangers of icebergs, but choosing to plow forward anyway… (the ship was unsinkable, after all!) …only to lose everything as a result.
I think maybe the reason this story has always intrigued me so much, is it sounds a lot like MY story.
As a child I was always told I would go to college and really make something of my life. I just assumed that would happen - I didn’t have to make any real choices about it - I was unsinkable! (Years ago I read a hysterically sarcastic book on this called, “How to Ruin Your Life, by Ben Stein.) I married a violent man at 19 and had a baby. Iceberg.
As a teenager I was a gymnast. I had a strong and flexible body and was therefore fearless in trying new stunts and pounding my body into the ground. Literally. I thought doctors could always fix any damage I did, so I just kept pushing the limits of my body. I was unsinkable! But the damage I did to my body then - even the things that the doctor’s were able to “fix” - is still causing me pain today. I’ve had multiple surgeries to try to repair things, and now, as I’m getting older, the arthritis has begun. There are certain things I just can’t do now. Iceberg.
Yes… sadly, I’m very much like the Titanic. I think I’m unsinkable… or at least that icebergs don’t really matter. I can do things I know are “wrong” – charging full-steam ahead - and won’t have to pay the consequences. James 4:17 tells us, “If we know the good that we should do and don’t do it, we’re sinning.” Obviously, the converse is true as well… if we’re doing something we know is wrong, well… it’s like plowing forward full-steam ahead towards icebergs.
The thing is, even though we know we need to make a change, the inertia principle, (which basically states an object will continue moving at its current velocity until some force causes it’s speed or direction to change,) is at work… so we can’t just throw it into reverse, or even crank the wheel to make a turn in our lives. We’ll either destroy our engine by doing so, or we’ll flip over and sink. Trust me. I’ve done both… *deep sigh*
I want change NOW! I want results NOW! I want to be PERFECT NOW!!
But no. Sadly, this isn’t how it works.
First you must do something I am NOT good at doing. At ALL.
You must first slow down.
*deeper deep sigh*
Once we slow down, and better yet, if we can actually STOP and BE STILL for a bit, (Psalm 46:10) we may be able to clearly hear the “still, small, voice” of God (1 Kings 19:11-12) and get directions on the next step we’re to take. Then, once we have a clear direction, we can begin cranking up the engine and starting off in a new direction.
Slowly.
It’s always slowly.
At first.
(Again, I’m not super great at this, either. Being slow is not my forte. My name is DART, after all! *laughing*)
Of course, satan hates all of this. He doesn’t want us to slow down. He doesn’t want us to listen for and/or to the voice of God. And he definitely doesn’t want us to start off in a different direction! Especially one that isn’t self-destructive and is actually WITH God!
He only wants to steal and kill and destroy, (John 10:10) and so, being “the father of lies” (John 8:44) he starts whispering lies into our heart. He tells us we’re not making progress… we “should” be further along… we “should” be better by now… we “should” know better… we “should” just give up… we’re never going to make it… nobody loves us, especially God. Blah blah blah.
He IS a liar, just like the Zach Williams song says! And it seems like he gets louder the closer we are to actually succeeding… because he knows how close we are and it infuriates him, so he tries desperately to discourage us and get us to quit before we actually see how close to succeeding we are!!
But it’s not true. We ARE making progress. And, while it may be SLOW progress at first, the inertia principle works when we’re going in the right direction as well! So, the more steps we take in the right direction, the more momentum we’ll pick up and the harder it will be to change our positive direction… which is awesome! James Clear has a great article on this – not just focusing on the end goal, but actually the process of getting there. It just takes time. Turning the Titanic takes time. Like the old poem says, Don’t Quit!
Slow down.
Make tiny turns on the wheel.
Head off in a different direction.
And… keep an eye out for icebergs!
SCRIPTURES
James 4:17 ~ If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them. (NIV)
Psalm 46:10 ~ Be still, and know that I am God! (NLT)
1 Kings 19:11-12 ~ And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. (KJV)
John 10:10 ~ The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I (Jesus) came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). (AMPC)
John 8:44 ~ He (satan) was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (ESV)