SKIING BACKWARDS
Photo Courtesy of Fox News
Mothers are often credited with having eyes in the back of their heads. Maybe the same is true of skiers. On February 15, during the Olympic dual moguls race, Japan’s Ikuma Horishima lost his balance after flipping over the final hill. He recovered, but discovered he was skiing backwards. He kept his cool and crossed the finish line, facing the wrong direction! Even announcers were in shock. “Oh my goodness, what is going on? I can’t believe my eyes,” exclaimed commentator Trace Worthington. Horishima’s adaptability was rewarded. He finished with the second-best time, earning a silver medal. (msn.com)
Sometimes life’s like that. We’re moving forward, then suddenly we’re facing a different direction. A divorce, job change, or sudden illness—Surprise! “Fight or flight” is a typical response. But here’s another option: How about “flow?” Take what life hands us, and flow with it, like Mr. Horishima.
“Going with the flow” is a necessity at times. Imagine Abraham changing diapers at one-hundred years old; Paul laying on the ground blinded, realizing the man he most hated was the Messiah; or the classic case: Jonah waking up in the belly of a whale. “Fight or flight” didn’t work so well for him.
At times, we’re all faced with making major adjustments in our lives—flowing with God’s plans. Of course, we can resist God’s will, by kicking and screaming against a situation we don’t like, as Jonah did. Don’t know about you, but I’ve found that doesn’t turn out well.
Fight, flight, or flow? Certainly there’s a place for each response. But when it comes to submitting to God’s will, “fight or flight” aren’t good options. Just ask Jonah. Hold your plans loosely, be open to God’s plans, and get ready to flow. Remember this the next time you find yourself skiing backwards in the Olympics.
Ponder:
When have you faced a situation that required you to make major adjustments in your life?
· How did you learn to “flow” with it?
Pursue: For a deeper dive, study the book of Jonah.
Dear God, your will is sovereign over all things. When you intervene in my life, help me to flow with your will. Empower me to make the necessary adjustments in my life to surrender to you.