Up the creek without a paddle

“Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray.” James 5:13

To be up a creek without a paddle, you’re finding yourself in an awkward situation with no easy way out. This probably derived from the actual act of being in a small boat and losing the oar.

All living bodies of water have motion and the current will carry us in the direction the water is flowing without us knowing what is ahead. Recently a family was tubing on the river when the current took them over the dam and some perished. Without a device to help guide us, we just drift wherever the water takes us and can lead us into danger.

Our lives are like that when we don’t have a purpose. We find ourselves lost, discouraged, and hopeless. But God restores that hope when we put our faith in him. His love is constant and he’s given us his word to encourage, strengthen, and guide us. Regardless of what we’re facing each day, when we seek His wisdom through the scriptures, His Word becomes the oars that guide us through troubled waters.

We never know what trouble lies on the horizon. We all long for smooth sailing and clear skies but inevitably we’ll all face trials. When we keep our faith, God will get us through it. James 1:6 says, “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.”

I can’t help but think of the story of Joseph. He was ambushed, thrown into a cistern, and left to die. But God provided an escape for Joseph when his brothers sold him to the caravan of Ishmaelites that just happened to come by. God had plans for Joseph and those plans couldn’t be thwarted, even by his evil jealous brothers.

So when we find ourselves up a creek without a paddle, God is capable of always planning an exit strategy for us. We can never doubt his goodness! Psalm 34:19 promises, “A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all;” and Psalm 9:9 says, “The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.” God will always give us protection, provision, and peace in times of distress when we call on Him.