In the same boat

“Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him.” Matthew 8:23

In the same boat means to be in the same unpleasant predicament as someone else. This idiom has a Greek origin referring to all passengers share the same fate who share the same boat.

The other day I went kayaking with some girlfriends on the south fork of the New River. The water level was pretty low so there were a lot of rocks jutting out of the water we had to avoid and others just barely below the surface. On numerous occasions I would see the protruding rocks I had to navigate around but the current would take me straight to them where I would end up getting stuck.

Being on the river reminded me of life. We can look forward and see a clear path without any obstacles, but suddenly everything changes when we bottom out or head in the wrong direction. Just as the current on the water can spin us around and knock us off course, life’s circumstances can do the same.

Life is hard sometimes and we all want to get through it unscathed. I know from the perspective of a parent, even though my kids are grown, when they’re hurting, my heart hurts right along with them. Grandma said random phrases that I couldn’t appreciate until I was older but I often think about what she said to me when my children were small, “Right now they’re stepping on your toes, but give ‘em time and they’ll be stomping on your heart.” Isn’t that the truth? We can pray for our children, encourage them, and give them advice, but ultimately, we’re all in the same boat. We all have to maneuver through the minefields life throws at us but it’s an opportunity for us to grow closer to the Lord so His characteristics will bloom within us.